In A Crumbling World
by The Maine Coon Cat
Summary: .Envy centric. In an attempt to create Earth's first artificial human, a scientist unwittingly reawakens The Gate...and a certain homunculus trapped within it....
1. The Awakening

Disclaimer: I, The Maine Coon Cat, do not own _Fullmetal Alchemist_ or it's characters. Angel and William (at least, Will's personality), however, belong to me. This story is inspired by and set after the _Hagaren Kids OVA_. Arigato!

Full Summary: In the year 2016, Edward Elric's great-grandson, William Elric, is working among a famous group of scientists in Copenhagen, Denmark. Their mission? To create the first artificial super-human...a being that will not fall ill, age, or die. A being that may change the world as we know it...

However, unbeknownst to the others, the leader of William's group has had ulterior motives all along. He plans to somehow 'resurrect' his dead son through this new being, and, in doing so, perhaps find a way to bring back all other departed human souls. Little does he, or anyone else, know that such actions will arouse an ancient evil...one that William's great-grandfather spoke often of: The Gate.

Nor does anyone know that the being they have brought to life is our world's parallel of another "resurrected" human being...the homunculus, Envy.

**In A Crumbling World**

By, Faith E. W., a.k.a.'The Maine Coon Cat'

Chapter One: THE AWAKENING

–_2016. Northeast Copenhagen, Denmark.–_

Danish. William Elric mentally shook his head in defeat. No matter how hard he studied, he still couldn't speak it. Well, not properly, anyway. It was embarrassing, really, that a child prodigy and the great-grandson of famous writer and war hero Edward Elric had difficulty learning a simple language.

Especially embarrassing, considering where he worked.

Finally, William got out the right words, and the guard let him pass (albeit while giving Will a puzzled look as he went by). Once inside, he breathed a sigh of relief. The people from here on weren't Danish, they were American, like him. And, also like him, they spoke good old English. Hallelujah.

"Ah, Elric!" A smiling older man in a lab coat suddenly flanked Will's side as he made his way down the corridor. He was a strong, blond-haired man– a genius; and William's boss of sorts, Dr. Hohenheim. Said doctor had won the Nobel Prize in science the year before, for his ground-breaking success in DNA splicing and reassembly. Now, both he and William were working secretly in this lab, financed by the United States, on a project unlike any other... "You have yet to master the door-keeper's mother-tongue, I see."

William smiled, his golden eyes shining in a face eerily similar to his famous grandfather's, "Yes, Sir. I'm working on it."

"Well, don't be working too hard, my boy; you've got enough to do around here." The two men entered the inner laboratory, and Dr. Hohenheim immediately walked over to a large machine, checking it's print-out. "Amazing, really, that such a young man as you should be called to work on an experiment like this."

"I'm not that young." He replied indignantly, though he was well aware that most twenty-one year olds _didn't_ get asked to work on top-secret, government funded projects. "Besides, I'm qualified. You said so yourself."

The doctor wasn't paying attention to Will, however; only to the computer readout in front of him. "He should be awake any time, you know, Elric." he breathed.

Will felt his heart-rate quicken, "R-really, Doctor?"

Hohenheim nodded, and they both turned their eyes toward large, glowing tank just four feet away from them. In it was their experiment, number 05767, code-named "Angel".

A human. No, a human_**oid**_. Created by humans without a womb, without sperm, without eggs; created by a combination of cloning and DNA splicing/reassembly. If this experiment was a success, Earth would have her first man-made man, who would not age, weaken, or fall ill; and who might even live decades beyond the normal human life-span. Additionally, he would heal almost instantly from injuries, in a process that one day might be duplicated in naturally-born humans, could scientists find a way.

That was why they had named it..._him_ "Angel". He was above them– the height of mankind's hopes and dreams. Perhaps, when he awoke, he would also be the key to revolutionizing humanity and their weak, fragile bodies... It was a wonderful dream, either way.

William and Hohenheim stared at Angel a moment, before Hohenheim muttered, "They changed him, though. He looks nothing like my son now."

Will glanced sympathetically over at his colleague. The doctor had used his own son's DNA in the cloning process, after the original boy had died from an illegal drug overdose. "In the beginning...he looked just like him."

"Just like me. My son looked just like me. Those scientists!" he spat, "They changed him. Look at him!"

"But..." The doctor sighed after a pause, "It is my theory that...it may be that part of my son remains in him. Maybe...maybe the DNA also carried a portion of his spirit in to this being, which no splicing and reassembling can erase."

"I hope so, Sir." William said gently. Indeed, the being in the tank was no longer the rugged, blonde-haired image of Hohenheim's lost child. Now he was slender and androgynous...lovely, with long hair and a gracefully slender, toned body. The other scientists that Hohenheim spoke of had thought it best to keep the boy's body weight to a minimal. It would be easier to judge just how 'super' he was when, with a slimmer physique, he managed to do the things that a rugged man could do...and more. "What little I knew of him, your son was a great guy."

A wistful expression clouded the man's hazel eyes. "Yes, he was."

"Doctor!" To their credit, neither man jumped at the call, but merely turned toward the door. A woman in a white lab coat like their own stood there, a stunned expression on her face. "I...we just got the readout you sent us, Sir. Is he– did he–?"

"No, I'm afraid Angel is still unconscious." Hohenheim smiled sadly.

"Oh...but soon?"

"Any time now."

"Then, Doctor, we need you to look over this testing plan we made...if you're not busy, that is."

"Alright." He put a hand on William's shoulder. "Could you please stay here, Elric? To monitor things?"

"Of course, Sir."

"Thank you." Slowly, he made his way out the door, and Will listened as their footsteps echoed down the hallway.

Boredom set in faster than he'd expected it to.

He sat down by the computers at first. Then, when that grew too dull, he paced, finally stopping by Angel's tank. Curiously, he leaned close to the reinforced glass, peering at the humanoid inside with all the wonder of a child.

As happy about this scientific breakthrough as he was, however, Will felt something nagging at his gut. He could clearly remember the dark tone his great-grandfather had spoken in the day he first heard of human cloning. He had said that nothing good could come of it; no matter what everyone said. Toying with human lives...trying to create artificial ones...it would only lead to disaster. It might even, he had theorized, reopen The Gate.

The Gate. Amestris. William had heard it all, as had the rest of the world, through Edward Elric's stories. When William was a boy, he had believed every word of it. Now...now he just wondered if all that genius hadn't corrupted his great-grandfather's brain. After all, to _write_ about parallel universes and alchemy was fine; to _believe_ that you lived in said parallel universes and performed alchemy...well, that was kind of crazy.

It was a good thing Edward wasn't alive to see that his great-grandson was toying around and trying to create the very things he had spoken against. If being an old man of one-hundred and four hadn't killed him, a heart-attack would have.

But, crazy or not, Edward had been Will's hero, and Will missed him...

**Beep**

The sound brought him out of his melancholy thoughts and into the present at warp speed. Panicking, he searched desperately around the room. "What–?"

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Angel's body jerk violently in the amber-tinged fluid that filled the tank. For some reason, William felt nauseated by that movement; more so when Angel did it again.

Oh no– was the experiment _dying_?!

"I-I have to..." Will couldn't move. He knew that 05767 was not the first or only experiment for this project; many others had died before. "D-Dr. Hohen..."

There was one final, momentous convulsion, and then Angel lay perfectly still.

**Beep.**

Amber-tinged fluid drained from the tank, leaving a naked, fair-skinned body in it's wake.

Trembling, William got up the nerve to cautiously step closer to the tank, leaning down to get a better look.

It...he...Angel wasn't moving. Not even a twitch or a slight rise of the chest, to indicate that he had survived.

So, he _was_ dead. Nausea swept over William so hard that he had to fight not to vomit. No one– nothing had ever died in front of him before! Why here– why _now_?

"NO!"

Placing his hands on the glass, he bent over the still form and clenched his teeth. Every fiber in his being pulsed, as if by willpower alone he could bring this creature back to life...

"I won't let you...!"

**- - -** - - - - -

Far beyond William, something else pulsed as well. It was a bright golden light that seemed to have no beginning...and no end.

This pulse, and the shock-wave that radiated from it, slammed into another being; one that was seemingly suspended inside the golden nothingness. The creature helplessly flew backwards, then forwards, as the waves surrounded him on every side, jerking violently in their grasp.

And then he saw, very briefly, the face of someone whom he never could have forgotten...

- - - - - - - -

_**Skr-eek! **_

William held his breath as one of Angel's arms moved, slipping against the glass. Was he...?

He leaned in closer...

Then gasped as two rich, sapphire blue eyes opened blearily below him.

Angel's eyes.

He was alive! William breathed a sigh of relief, then grinned to himself before lightly tapping on the glass. "Hey...hey there!"

Angel's blue eyes, which had previously been focused somewhere around William's coat buttons, moved up to William's face–

And suddenly shone purple.

Will yelped at the change, straightening up a bit. Sapphire eyes with round, black pupils became violet with reptilian slants in their middles; and a look of terrifying intensity came over the being's face as it stared at him. It tried to sit up, but was still too weak.

"_Edward...Elric!_" It growled, pure hatred contorting it's features.

Then, twitching, it inhaled sharply and fell back with a thud.

Will swayed.

"Elric!" Doctor Hohenheim's voice seemed to be coming from the other end of a tunnel, "Elric, is he–"

"Uh?" William replied.

And promptly fainted.

- - - - - - - -

_(__**A/N**__: I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of my tale. Remember, read and review! Chapter two, Lord willing, will be here soon._

_This story is dedicated to '__**Wing It**__' , whose work inspired me to write it._

_Peace out!) _


	2. The Success

**In A Crumbling World**

By Faith E. W., a.k.a. '_The Maine Coon Cat_'

Chapter 2: THE SUCCESS 

"Mr. Elric? Sir? C'mon, Sir...wake up!"

William moaned, the sound of someone's pleading voice bringing him out of his stupor. Blinking, he saw that the same woman who had called Hohenheim out of the lab earlier was now leaning over him, her face white. "Oh..."

"You're okay!" She cried. "The doctor will be very glad to know tha–"

Suddenly, Will sprung up as if he'd been galvanized. "Dr. Hohenheim! Angel! Is he–?!"

"05767?" She asked, "He's awake! Everyone has gone to see him already, but I don't think you're up to going just yet."

Memories of those intense violet eyes– so filled with hatred– filled Will's mind. "No, I have to speak to Hohenheim; tell him something's gone wrong!" he exclaimed.

"Gone wrong! What do you mean?!"

But he didn't have time to stick around and play 'Twenty Questions' with her. He stumbled out the door and into the hallway.

It just didn't make any sense. Eyes didn't spontaneously change color; nor did pupils change their shape. And those were never abilities Angel was supposed to have.

Also, what about the creature's words? "Edward Elric." How could something that had barely awoken to the world– who didn't know anyone– have possibly confused him with his great-grandfather? Or have had such hatred in it's voice?

Nothing added up.

"Dr. Hohenheim!" He hollered, bursting into the outer laboratory, "Doctor-?"

The doctor was there, safe and sound.

As was Angel.

William looked slowly from one to the other. Hohenheim was beaming ear to ear, surrounded by his fellow scientists, and Angel was sitting on a large white table in the middle of the room.

The experiment was dressed, Will noted, in a tight black halter-top (if that was what you called such a thing) and skort, with black half-gloves, weird half-tights with openings in the heels and toes, and a black headband. His eyes were back to their natural blue, and beautifully complimented by his long, pure black hair. His gorgeous face was no longer full of loathing, but wore a seriously bemused expression as he stared at Will.

"Elric!" Dr. Hohenheim smiled, "Finally! You've been out quite a while, my boy. The thrill of success too much for you?"

"Suc-success? But..."

"Ah, my boy! Think about it! You were my partner; my most trusted colleague. You will get almost as much fame as I!"

William shook his head, gazing at Angel in awe.

"So, you're one of my creators." Angel's deep, throaty, and surprisingly _feminine_ voice was the same he had heard before, only now it held a more condescending edge.

"You-you don't remember me?" Will spluttered.

"Remember you?" He echoed. "I've never met you before."

"No, you did! You called me 'Edward'...you..." William trailed off, seeing the look of honest bewilderment in the humanoid's eyes. "N-never mind."

"You'll have to excuse him, Angel." Hohenheim apologized, "Mr. Elric hasn't had the best day today, and right now he's recovering from a hard knock to the head."

"Hard...knock?" Will patted the back of his head and winced when he touched a bandage– and triggered pain. He must have hurt himself when he fainted.

"Hm." Was Angel's only reply, along with a raised brow.

Dr. Hohenheim turned to the scientist's behind him, "Now, friends; now we finally see the conclusion of many years of painstaking effort. The first 'Humanoid', as he will be called, sits before you. Genetically engineered from spliced DNA strands and enhanced with abilities beyond what any naturally-born man could posses. He has awakened with a fully capable adult mind, which already has been privy to much human knowledge, as I and my colleagues took the liberty of setting up instructional CD's, which we played for him during his developmental stage via waterproof earphones..."

As the doctor droned on, William continued to observe the 'Humanoid' with interest and fear. He already knew– had known for awhile– that Angel would wake up with an adult personality and extensive knowledge. The CD's had been full of language lessons, history lessons, science, mathematics, literature, music, and everything else in between. What disturbed him was the fact that Angel had known his great-grandfather. None of the CD's had mentioned Edward Elric, much less that he and Will looked alike...

So, how...?

- - - - - - - -

In another realm, a realm of golden light, someone else was highly perplexed as well.

There was no mistaking it. He had seen Edward Elric's face clearly, bending over him and gaping as if Envy were a panda in a zoo.

_That worm was still alive!_ Envy seethed. And, what was worse, he looked as young as he had the last time Envy had seen him, right before he was sent back to The Gate. ...Thus, what had felt like years in this horrible place had only been months, at best!

And yet...

He had seen Edward. On Earth, he assumed. And Edward had seen him, which meant that he had a body. A body that could see and be seen...that was alive.

So, somewhere, he was alive.

Now...how could he get back there?

- - - - - - - - -

The other scientists had gone at last, and it was just the three of them.

"...Angel, can you lift this?"

"...Angel, tell me what this means."

"...Angel..."

William watched in awe as Dr. Hohenheim tested the humanoid with various physical and psychological examinations...

Which Angel passed with flying colors.

After four rigorous hours, Hohenheim finally took William aside. "Elric, my boy, he is exceeding! Exceeding in every way, I tell you!" he grinned.

Will gazed at Angel, who didn't seem tired from all the testing, and who was eyeing them almost suspiciously. "That's wonderful, Sir."

"The only reason I'm ending our session now is because _I'm_ exhausted." The doctor continued, laughing, "And- and do you know what else?"

"What?"

"He- he may not look like my son, or sound like him, but...but I believe that I was right. That he still has my son in him– in his soul."

Will blinked, unsure of what to say. Angel seemed nothing like Hohenheim's son.

But Hohenheim was sure. "Don't you see the way he enjoys doing everything I ask him to?" He enthused, "I even told him to think of me as his father; I am, after all."

He cringed. The doctor was putting too much hope in Angel; too much faith in his dead son's DNA. "Yes, Sir."

"Yes! And when we all go back to America, he shall live with me..."

"Ye– What?!"

Hohenheim nodded. "Of course. The government will have finished their testing for the most part by then, and, since I am his creator, Angel will be allowed to live in a monitored environment with me."

William noticed, out of the corner of his eye, that Angel was listening to their conversation, and seemed to be pleased. "But, Sir, I mean...what if people find out he's with you? Won't they try to kidnap him or something? Our enemies would pay billions just to get a peek at him."

The doctor smiled. "As I said, it will be a monitored environment. This place will be on government property, and heavily guarded."

"Oh. I–I see."

"Good, then!" He clapped Will on the back, "Just thought I'd let you know. Besides, I'd like you to come visit us there from time to time."

Will saw Angel's eyes flash, but merely nodded. The doctor smiled and walked to the door.

"Angel, it's getting late. I'd like to show you your bedroom before I leave." he said.

Angel smiled docilely at him. "In a moment, Father." His feminine voice was laced with a syrupy sweetness that William did not like or trust, "But first, may I have a moment alone with Mr. Elric?"

Hohenheim seemed surprised, but shook his head in the affirmative. "If you need me, I'll be in the hallway."

"Yes, Sir." Angel stood, smiling, until the door had shut behind his creator.

Then, he fixed Will with a penetrating glare.

"Uh–!" William stepped back as the humanoid sauntered over to him, a serpentine smirk playing on it's lips.

"First things first, Mr. Elric. Exactly how much of me did you create?" Angel asked.

Will didn't know what he was getting at. "Well, I-I'm Dr. Hohenheim's partner, but he did most of the work. I basically monitored things and did extra research for him..."

"I see." Angel leaned closer to Will, "So, basically, Father did everything, and you were just his lackey."

Before William could reply, he continued, "You and Father– are you related?"

"N-no. We're only partners...and friends."

At this statement, Angel's eyes flashed again. This time, William knew the look– jealousy.

_Isn't it a little too soon for that?_ He wondered. After all, Angel had been alive less than forty-eight hours. To have already developed affection for someone strong enough to make him jealous over that person...was odd. "Listen, Angel–"

"No, _you_ listen." His voice grew low and threatening, "Hohenheim is my creator, my _father._ He cares for me more than he does for anyone else, so don't go getting any ideas about taking him away!!"

"I'm not–!" Will protested, but the creature, having made it's point, was already stalking out the door.

Great. On top of his earlier trauma in the inner lab, his head injury, and everything else, Will was now going to be forced to deal with a jealous, angry being who was about ten-times stronger than he was...

And who could kill him if it wished to.

...This 'success' thing was not as wonderful as he had hoped it would be.

- - - - - - - -

_**A/N**__: Hope you enjoyed, and thank you all for your kind reviews! They keep me going, and I hope they continue._

_Chapter Three should, Lord willing, be up soon. Stay tuned!)_


	3. The Realization

**In A Crumbling World**

By Faith E. W., a.k.a. '_The Maine Coon Cat_'

Chapter 3: THE REALIZATION

_**Brrriiiinnnnggg!**_

The alarm clock's shrill note woke William from a fitful slumber.

Sitting up drowsily, he yawned, then winced at the shot of pain that went through his head. He was in his three-room apartment, which had been provided for him by the U. S. Government during his stay in Denmark. It was a nice enough place, but a tad too..._drab_ for his liking, with white walls, creamy curtains, pale tan furniture and a navy blue bedspread. Red was more his color, truth be told.

A month had passed since Angel's awakening, and Will had only seen the humanoid twice since their last encounter. The other scientists in the facility had taken over with helping Dr. Hohenheim, while Will gathered and sorted data in the back rooms.

Still, both times Will had shown up in the laboratory, Angel had given him a murderous glare.

When William had tried to explain his fears about Angel to Hohenheim, the doctor had answered him in an unexpected way: "You have to remember, Elric, that while Angel has an adult's intellect, he is still a child in spirit. After all, he has barely been born! I'm sure his immaturity will dissipate in a short amount of time."

"I...hope so, Sir." Will had replied.

And another thing was bothering him, though he'd said nothing to the doctor about it: Hohenheim was almost encouraging Angel's over-possessive behavior! It was as if the man _wanted_ Angel to be so terribly attached to him.

With a sigh, he stumbled out of bed, taking a look at himself in the mirror. Angel hadn't said anything more about the whole, 'Edward Elric' affair, but the memory continued to bother Will. His great-grandfather had been his hero growing up, and so Will had been thrilled to look so much like him– even their hair was the same; worn up in a ponytail. William had started wearing it that way when he had seen an old picture of Edward with his hair up...

_**Brrrriiiinnnngggg!**_

Will's eyes widened. This time, it wasn't the alarm clock pealing, but the phone.

_**Brrrriiiinnnngggg!**_

"I'm coming; I'm coming. Sheesh... Hello?" He barked.

"U-um. Mr. ...Elric?" The voice on the other end of the line was female...the voice of the lady scientist who had questioned him when he'd come out of his faint. "This is Marjorie Hunt. I'm– I'm with 'the team'." Their code for people that had worked on creating Angel.

Will frowned, "Yeah, I know who you are. Why are you calling?"

"Oh, well...I mean, it's just that I..."

Suddenly, she began to babble, "I was just remembering what you said that time about something being wrong with the experiment and I think that there _is_ something wrong because the doctor is acting so weird that _everyone_ has noticed but nobody will say anything to him or anyone else so I finally had to call you because maybe you'd be the only one that would listen to me and-and..." She burst into tears, "Waaahhhh!!"

O...kay... He hadn't been expecting THAT. With a sigh, he held the phone away from his ear, as her bawling was making his head hurt worse than before. Still...he was interested in what she had told him. "Listen! Calm down! What do you mean the doctor's been acting weird?"

She sniffled, gulping. "Well, at first i-it wasn't really anything too bad. The doctor seemed so happy about 05767, but we thought it was because of his success in creating him. Then–" she sniffled again, "Then he started spending tons of time with 05767..."

"'Angel'. You can call him Angel."

"A-Angel. And, recently, one of my colleagues heard him asking 0-uh...Angel to call him 'Father'. Now, he spends almost all his time with Angel; _way_ more than what we'd originally planned on. He even spends nights in the lab!"

So, William's fears were proving to be founded upon reality. Hohenheim was taking his theory too far...was thinking that he'd actually brought some part of his son back from the dead. And he was become obsessive about it too...

On the other end, Marjorie began to cry again, "We're all freaked out– but me most! I mean, I look up to Dr. Hohenheim, and now he's acting _crazy_!"

"Marjorie!" Will snapped, and she went silent. "Get a hold of yourself! I know what's going on with the doctor."

"Y-you do?"

"Yes, and I wouldn't worry about him being insane. Eccentric, definitely; but insane, no."

"Then what–?"

"It's really complicated, but he has this theory that's been driving him, and I think he's just taken it too far. Even so, he could be putting the whole mission in jeopardy..." He remembered the terrible jealousy and possessiveness in the humanoid's sapphire eyes every time he came near the doctor. If that conduct kept getting reinforced by Hohenheim, Angel might crack if anything happened to negatively affect their 'Father-Son' relationship. Who knew what the creature would do then...

The recollection of those violet orbs haunted Will.

"Marjorie, I'm going to come to the lab, okay? I should be there in an hour. Can you hold on until then?"

The woman gulped. "Uh...uh-huh."

"'Kay. Bye."

"Bye..."

_**Click.**_

He stood there a moment, hand still clutching the disconnected phone.

How...was he going to handle this...?

- - - - - - - -

Florescent lighting cast a semi-blinding haze over the hospital-white laboratory and, on a glistening metal table, Angel sat, his graceful, almost womanly legs crossed in a casual fashion and his rich blue eyes contentedly roving the room. His very long, black hair shone beautifully in the white light, and he smiled as he caught his reflection in a nearby mirror.

Even though his I.Q. was quite above average, and his mind working on an adult's level, there was an undeniably childish aura to him. It was the aura that surrounded those who had not yet experienced pain or loss, and who honestly didn't imagine that such things would ever touch them.

And yet, the scientists who worked with him knew; knew that there was a disturbing _lack_ of childish innocence in Angel, when it came to other things.

If the humanoid had already displayed his possessive, jealous side to William Elric, than he had certainly made known his arrogant, 'superior' side to Hohenheim's fellow workers. Angel obviously believed he was better than them, and would only obey the scientists because 'Father' had asked him to.

Father...

Hohenheim.

His creator; the being who had brought him into this world. Humans had their creator, God; Angel had Hohenheim. He worshiped the man, the man that wanted him so much– loved him so much.

The doctor loved Angel more than he loved anyone else; the humanoid was sure of it. For what other reason would he have had to create Angel; or to treat him so kindly?

Or to have asked Angel to call him 'Father'?

Angel knew what a father was: The protector and provider in human families. It didn't bother him that he had no apparent mother; Hohenheim was good enough. He was the one human being Angel could trust; the only one who saw him as more than an experiment or a monster...thought of him as a son.

No one, not even that Elric freak, would ever change that.

He would make sure of it.

- - - - - - - -

Today, thank Heavens, the guard was not Danish, but another American like himself, so Will got into the facility very quickly.

Now...where was Marjorie?

"M-Mr. Elric!!" Someone blubbered wildly.

Ah, there she was.

The woman, though at least ten years older than Will, was standing in the hallway like a lost little kid, her reddish hair in untamed curls around her baby-doll face; glasses askew. "You said you'd be here in an hour!" she cried, "You're ten minutes late!"

Ten minutes...? What was she, some kind of paranoid...never mind. Right now she was the only one he could trust to help him out. "Uh, yeah. Sorry 'bout that. Do you know where the doctor is?"

"N-no." She shook her head. "I last saw him in the laboratory with 057...Angel. Then he just left."

"Left? Left the lab, or the building?"

"The building. He told Mr. Saunders that he'd be back soon, but he's been gone for two hours and twenty-three minutes already!"

Yeah, she was definitely paranoid. "Fine. I'm going to wait here until he gets back. Maybe I can talk some sense into him." He narrowed his eyes at the fretful woman. "Meanwhile, care to fill me in on anything else?"

She blinked, "Huh?"

"Well," He sighed, leaning against the wall, "What state of mind was he in when he last left?"

"Actually, he seemed kind of...down."

"Down?"

Marjorie nodded, red curls bobbing. "Yeah. He's been that way the past few days."

William frowned. This was starting to make less and less sense. If the doctor was so sure that this was his son back from the dead, then why would he be 'down'? Unless... The thought hit Will like a bag of bricks. "Marjorie, by 'down', do you mean, 'disappointed'?"

A light went on in her jade green eyes. "Yeah! That's just the word! Why didn't I say that?"

As she continued her trivial monologue, Will felt his extremities go numb. If what he was thinking was correct, then the mission– and Angel– could be in serious peril. "Has he been spending the same long amounts of time with Angel that he used to, though?"

"Yeah." she seemed puzzled. "Actually, he's been working even harder than before; but not on anything we've been told about."

"So, it _is_ personal." He hissed.

"W-what?" she squeaked, "What is?!"

But he ignored her.

Hohenheim was his friend. If Will asked kindly, perhaps he would tell him what was going on– not that Will didn't already know.

The doctor was beginning to realize that his theory was not true after all, but was still in denial.

William didn't have a familiarity with what sorts of exercises Hohenheim had been putting Angel through, but the creature was apparently failing at proving his hypotheses...at being his son.

"Mr. Elric!" Marjorie whimpered, "Mr. Elric!!"

"What?" He snapped, already sick of her whiny personality.

She jolted, then timidly pointed down the hallway. "Dr. Hohenheim is here."

- - - - - - - -

_(__**A/N**__: Hey, everyone! Thanks again for all the great reviews! Please keep them coming._

_Chapter Four is, Lord willing, coming soon!)_


	4. The Betrayal

**In A Crumbling World**

By Faith E. W., a.k.a. "_The Maine Coon Cat_"

Chapter 4: THE BETRAYAL

William straightened up, his heart pounding. "O-oh."

"I'll see you, Mr. Elric." Marjorie whispered, quickly ducking into a nearby room.

Will barely noticed her leave; he was too busy observing Hohenheim.

The doctor walked with his head down, his shoulders stooped. In his hand, he clutched something– a piece of paper? Will couldn't believe how fast he was going, either. It was as if something were driving him over the edge. "Doctor..."

Hohenheim stopped in his tracks beside William, his expression grim, hazel eyes vacant. "Ah, Elric...I haven't seen you in awhile."

"I-I've been working in the documentation room the last few weeks."

"I see." The doctor's voice was flat.

"So, how's Angel doi–"

"Elric?"

"Y-Yes, Sir?"

He knitted his brows, "Could you come with me? I have one more test for Angel. Then, I need to tell you something."

Will blinked, stupefied. "Of course."

"Thank you."

They walked the rest of the way in silence, and the moment they stepped into the laboratory, Angel's eyes zoomed in on William with a look of utter indignation.

"What's HE doing here? Angel spat.

"Never mind that." Hohenheim's voice had become low and oddly business-like. He toyed with the item in his hand before holding it up. "Angel, tell me...does this..._mean_ anything to you?"

Will felt the room go cold.

- - - - - - - -

Light, pure and golden, suddenly shimmered as a small shockwave passed through it.

Like ripples, the shockwaves spread through the bright nothingness, eventually slamming into a certain stranded being that floated helplessly before them...

Envy felt his world go dark.

- - - - - - - -

It was a picture. Of what, Will could not see.

But Angel saw it, and studied it with a look of curiosity. "The boy?"

"The boy." Hohenheim's voice was growing impatient. "The _boy_."

Angel raised a slender brow, obviously startled by the doctor's tone. "No... Should he?"

Will knew then. _Oh no..._

Hohenheim stiffened, and he didn't speak– couldn't seem to speak– for a moment. Then, to William and Angel's shock, he thrust the photo into Angel's face, trembling. "_This is my __son_!!"

- - - - - - - -

"_This is my_ _son_!!"

When Envy's vision returned, it was as though he were looking through a tunnel at the scene before him.

What the–?

Three people stood opposite Envy, in a white room. One was Edward, the other a man who vaguely resembled Hohenheim of Light, and the last was...

_Him?! _

It was him, in his preferred, "Adorable" form; right down to the clothing! No...not quite. The hair and eyes...they were different...

Who was this?! What was going on?!

- - - - - - - - -

"But–" Angel's eyes widened, "I'M your son!" he cried.

"This is my _real_ son!" The doctor snarled, "My _true_ son, on whom you were _supposed_ to be based!"

"Dr. Hohenheim–" Will interjected, or tried to, but to no avail.

The man was too angry now. "You really feel nothing toward him as all?!"

Angel was bewildered; stunned. For a second, William even thought the humanoid might cry.

Then, Angel choked, "Do you...is he more important to you...than me?"

Hohenheim didn't need to say anything; the expression on his face told all. Still, what he said next seemed to cut into Angel like a knife. "He...was my son. He'll always be..."

Angel began to shake, rage building in his eyes. With a snarl, he grabbed the picture from the doctor's hands. "Then I hate him! _I hate him!!_"

William took a step back as the humanoid ripped the photo in two and threw the pieces to the ground, stomping on them with his foot.

"I hate hi–"

_**SLAP! **_

Nobody moved.

- - - - - - - - -

Envy's violet eyes widened, and a shudder went through his body. This was...so much like before...when his own creator had rejected him.

He gritted his teeth in fury. What was this? Some kind of twisted re-enactment of the most painful moments of his life?

No... Not again. He wouldn't watch this again!

- - - - - - - -

Everything was still. Only the soft buzzing of the florescent lights and the fierce pounding of his heart were audible to Will.

Hohenheim mutely retracted his hand, watching the red mark quickly disappear from Angel's cheek. "Well, at least we know that you body's healing abilities are still functioning." he stated coolly.

The boy didn't answer. He seemed to be in comatose.

"Elric?" Hohenheim continued. "You are my partner, are you not?"

"Y...Yes, Sir."

"Then, from this point on, I am putting you in charge of Angel... I can't take it anymore."

"What...?" William asked dumbly.

"I'm stepping down, Elric."

"But, Sir..."

The doctor shook his head, sadly walking toward the door.

Will blinked, unable to fathom the scene before him. He wasn't even sure that the doctor _could_ step down, knowing what he did. It wasn't likely that the government would let their most valuable scientist walk out on them. Still... "Sir..."

Angel had fallen to his knees, and remained that way on the floor. "Father," he growled.

The hair stood up on the back of Will's neck. That was the same growl that had come from Angel back when he lay in the tank...

And, when the creature raised it's head, William saw why.

Pupils slanted, eyes violet, gorgeous face contorted with loathing, Angel roared, "_**I HATE YOU!!!**_"

The doctor hesitated, hands spasming, before closing the door behind him with a resounding clang.

Angel stared after him, seething. Then, abruptly, violet eyes flickered back to sapphire, and the pupils became round again. Angel's head dropped down in exhaustion and grief. "I hate you..."

William swallowed hard, frightened. On one hand, he felt bad for Angel. The boy had truly believed in Hohenheim, and was now obviously devastated by the doctor's betrayal. On the other hand, Angel was just as likely to aim a kamikaze attack at Will's head than to accept any sympathy.

However...it was worth a try. The violet eyes had become blue again, so, perhaps...

William gently laid a hand on Angel's shoulder.

- - - - - - - -

Still shaken from the previous events and from his outburst, Envy felt himself go slack-jawed at the final scene before him:

Edward was...trying to comfort him?

"Angel...are you okay?" The blond-haired boy enquired softly.

**Angel?**

Before he could consider it any further, however, the golden void sucked him back into it's radiant depths.

- - - - - - - -

Angel trembled, frozen, staring as the floor. He could hear Elric's words, could feel his hand on his shoulder; but he couldn't move.

What...had that been?

In the midst of his anger...his hatred towards that _thing_ he'd called 'Father', he'd felt _**It**_ taking him over, using his mouth to say the words he had wanted to say...

'_I hate you!_'

Yes, he'd wanted to say it; wanted to with every fiber of his body– but that **other** entity had said it for him.

Angel had felt himself being thrust from his own body.

After the words were spoken, however, the being had left, and Angel had reentered, only to see that his creator– his father– had abandoned him.

His father had not loved him after all...he'd loved his 'true' son...the person he had hoped Angel would be. Then, when he had realized that Angel was different, he had shunned him; tossed him aside like a child tossed aside a broken toy. And now, he'd probably go out and find some other person to replace his son...to love...

_**NO!**_

Hohenheim was his father! **His** father! If the doctor didn't want him, then he wouldn't have anyone else– he would make sure of that!

Grimacing, he grabbed William Elric by the collar, deftly slamming the young man head-first into the floor. Elric went out like a light.

Then, standing up, he snarled to himself.

His father wouldn't get away from him that easily. If Hohenheim didn't already regret bringing Angel into this world, he would by the time Angel got through with him...

- - - - - - - -

_**A/N**__: Thanks, yet again, for all the great reviews! Please keep 'em coming! _

_Chapter five, Lord willing, should be up soon!) _


	5. The Alchemist's Book

_**In A Crumbling World**_

By Faith E. W., a.k.a. '_The Maine Coon Cat_'

Chapter 5: THE ALCHEMIST'S BOOK

William awoke to a terrible, throbbing headache the likes of which he had never experienced. An awful smell assaulted his nostrils; the kind of smell that came from burnt machinery...

Burnt machinery–?!

"Ohhhh... Argh!" Sitting up, he saw Marjorie kneeling beside him, tears streaming down her flushed cheeks. Behind her, flames shot up into the night's sky, and firemen shouted to each other in that language Will couldn't ever properly speak: Danish.

"Are you okay, Mr. Elric?" He heard Marjorie sniffle above the din.

"Relatively." Was his reply. His headache grew worse the more he sat up, but he had to get a good look at this. "The lab...what happened to it?"

The red-head sobbed. "It's gone! All of it! The data, the files, _everything_!" She cried, "I found you right after the fire started, and we got you out...the other scientists and I."

William felt sick in the pit of his stomach. "Angel...did he do this?"

"Y-yes." she nodded, "He broke into the research department and took one of our experiments... Dr. Hohenheim must have shown him that room before, because he knew which one to take. It was a prototype for a new kind of bomb..."

It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out the rest. "Was anyone...?"

"Everyone got out alive, but a few people have third-degree burns, and one man got shrapnel from the bomb in his arm."

The sick feeling worsened. "And Angel? Where is he now?"

Marjorie hesitated, visibly worried.

"Marjorie!"

"He's–" she blurted, "–gone!"

"Gone?" Will echoed.

"Somebody saw him run off after the bomb detonated. But..." she added with a quiver in her voice, "But no one's seen him since."

William cringed. It was highly unlikely that Angel had died in the fire. Hohenheim had exposed the humanoid to flames before (as well as to a plethora of other deadly things) and the creature had always healed itself in a matter of mere seconds.

No. Angel was alive. Somewhere on the streets of Copenhagen, Denmark, an indestructible being walked. Already, said being had proven that he cared nothing for human lives, and right now he was probably ready to wipe out anyone in his path...especially if that person got between him and his 'father'. "...Perfect."

"We can't tell the authorities, either," Marjorie pointed out, "because the whole story could leak to the press. Imagine what kind of an uproar that would cause. Denmark would hate America, and the people would blame us for unleashing Angel here."

"They have a right to." Will said. "After all, it is our fault."

She sighed, then gasped. "Mr. Elric, what are you–"

William stood on shaky legs. "Help me out here!" he snapped, reaching for support.

"You're not well!" she cried, "You shouldn't be walking!"

"You think Angel is going to wait around until I get better?" His golden eyes narrowed. "There's no one else to stop him. The police can't even know about his existence, and our colleagues don't have a clue what's going on, except that their little experiment just escaped. Dr. Hohenheim's in danger and you and I are the only ones left that can do anything about it."

"Especially me." He added, "Seeing as I'm the one who helped him create that thing."

She frowned in concern. "But, still...your head..."

"It can wait. Do you have a car?"

"Y-yes."

"Good. We're going to need it."

- - - - - - - - -

Will had never been one to date women. In fact, he'd been single his entire life, save for a brief time in first grade when he'd tried to woo an older girl whose name he didn't remember anymore.

Thus, being single, he had immediately become the stereotypical bachelor as soon as he'd moved away from home.

In other words, his apartment was a wreck.

"Um, Mr. Elric..." Marjorie grimaced at the mess before her. Clothes littered the floor, books and paperwork covered all other available space, and there was a mysteriously noxious odor seeping from the kitchen.

"Chicken must have rotted." he muttered.

"Ew."

Giving the older woman a look, he wove his way through the debris to his desk, which was situated in the middle of his 'livingroom', if such a term was to be used for the mismatched place.

"Don't you have a t.v.?" She asked him, to which he snorted.

"A homicidal super-human is on the loose...and _you_ want to watch television?"

Marjorie huffed, "That's not it! Think about it, Mr. Elric. If Angel was spotted anywhere, or if he hurt someone else, don't you think it would be on the news?"

William blinked in surprise. That was the first truly helpful idea Marjorie had come up with since they'd met. "No, I don't have a t.v. I do have a radio, though. If you know how to speak Danish, you're welcome to it."

Her face lit up, and she surveyed the room.

"It's in the kitchen." he offered.

Her face fell.

"Just spray some air freshener."

"Okay..." she whimpered.

As soon as she had gone, William smirked. From the diamond ring on her left hand, he could tell she was married. Truth be told, he kind of pitied her husband. Marjorie was nice and all, but he'd be glad when this was all over, and both of them could get back to their respective lives.

Then, remembering the task at hand, he turned with a scowl to his paperwork. It consisted of lab notes, progress reports, and various data from the many experiments he and Doctor Hohenheim had created. Maybe there was something in there that could reveal a hidden weakness in Angel; something they had overlooked and could now use to stop him.

Now that he knew the doctor's true motive, however, he could see why Hohenheim had wanted to make an indestructible being to replace his son– he couldn't bear to lose another child.

...Not even if that child were a fake.

"Poor guy." he murmured.

"_EEEEAAAAHHHHHHGGGGGG!!!!!!_"

The scream reverberated off the walls, causing Will's hair to stand on end. He bolted up, stumbled, caught himself on a bookcase, and finally burst into the kitchen. "Marjorie!!"

She was cowering in the far corner of the room, pointing in horror toward the refrigerator, "It's-it's-it's...there's MAGGOTS in there!!!" she bawled.

Sure enough, William saw that the fridge door was open, and that the rotten chicken was indeed covered in writhing little maggots. His stomach turned. How had he let that bird go so long?

With a growl, he glared at the shivering red-head in the corner. "What were you _**doing**_?! You scared the crud out of me, you know that?!"

"I-I was trying to clean the fridge. The smell was so bad!"

"You're _supposed_ to be monitoring the radio, not cleaning up my messes!" With a touch of cruelty, he added, "Besides, which was worse: the smell, or the maggots?"

She gagged. "...The maggots."

"Right." Closing the refrigerator door, he teetered back out to the livingroom. "Ah!"

**THUD.**

Drawing in a deep breath, he glanced at the floor to see what had tripped him up.

It was a book.

A very old book, with the faded title, "_**Fullmetal Alchemist**_".

His great-grandfather's writing.

To William's shock, tears began to well in his eyes. He dismissed them as being dust-related and wiped them away, picking up the slightly tattered, leather-bound novel. There were new copies of this book, he knew, but this one had been special to Edward– it was the original publication. The elderly man had passed it on to Will when he died, along with a note that read, "Thank you, for always believing in me..."

If Edward had only known how much Will had _doubted_ him...

A sob escaped his lips at the thought, but he caught himself. This was no time for sentimental memories. Brushing the tears that had somehow overflowed, he went to put the book back on it's shelf.

'_Slat!_'

Grumbling, William glowered down at the papers on his shoes. He must have forgotten that his great-grandfather had put them in his book.

"There's nothing on the radio." Marjorie said, walking into the livingroom. "Have you found anything that might help stop Angel?"

He shook his head, kneeling to retrieve the pages. "No. Dr. Hohenheim had everything exactly right. Angel truly is indestructible..."

"Mr. Elric?"

"What?"

She bit her lip, concern in her eyes. "Are you crying?"

Quickly, he whirled away from her, rubbing at his cheeks. He regretted the movement a moment later, however, when his head began to spin.

"Mr. Elric?"

"I..." Will mumbled, "I'm okay. I just found some stuff my great-grandfather wrote, and it brought back memories."

"...You loved him?"

To his embarrassment, his voice quivered. "Yeah."

"I'm sorry."

"It's nothing." Through his tears, he went over the papers. "Heh," he sniffled, "Grandad never was a good artist. He always had to hire an illustrator for his books. These must be his original drawings, though, that he tucked in afterwards."

Marjorie knelt beside him, "What's _that_ supposed to be?"

"His brother, Al."

"...He looks like a garbage can."

More tears fell as he laughed. "Yeah? He does, doesn't he?"

"You know," William added softly, guiltily, "Grandad always thought more of me than I ever thought of myself. He'd tell me how alike we were...and he'd thank me for being the only one who really believed in him. But he didn't know that I...that I..."

"Mr. Elric! Look!" Marjorie abruptly snatched one of the papers out of his hands. "Who-who is THAT supposed to be?"

Confused, he stared at the picture. It was a pen-drawing, done by Edward many years ago, of a thin, smirking young man with long dark hair that made him vaguely resemble a palm tree.

...And a black outfit, just like the one worn by...

"Angel...?"

- - - - - - - -

_A/N__: Sorry for the late update, but I have been very busy with Driver's Ed and college politics. Lord willing, the next one will be up sooner._

_Stay tuned!) _


	6. The Prophet

_**In A Crumbling World**_

By Faith E. W., a.k.a. "_The Maine Coon Cat_"

Chapter 6: THE PROPHET

"Angel...?"

William stared at the yellowed paper in awe. There was no denying the facts: that the poorly-drawn figure had Angel's features, right down to the hair and clothes. Taking the page from Marjorie, he studied it for some other clue. His great-grandfather had always labeled his writings, so why not his drawings?

Ah, there it was. Written in faded ink at the very bottom of the paper...

'_1953. Envy The Homunculus_'

Envy. Will hadn't heard his great-granddad's stories for years now, nor had he seen images of Edward's characters for said amount of time. Still, he vaguely remembered hearing about this one. An artificial human being supposedly created by Edward's father, Hohenheim of Light, to replace his dead son...

Time froze.

_An artificial being...made as a replacement...by a man named Hohenheim...to take the place of his dead son..._

"M-Mr. Elric?" Marjorie stuttered, "Are you alright?"

_That was Angel...Angel's story._

"Mr. Elric, speak to me!"

_Why hadn't he seen it before?_

"Mr. Elric!!"

Ignoring Marjorie's ever-increasing panic, William began to flip through Edward Eric's book. There were no illustrations in this one, since it was an adult novel, but if he could just find one part that mentioned Envy...

Seeing that the young man was not going to answer her, Marjorie sighed and stood up, placing her hands on her hips. "Fine. Let me know when you've found something."

Will grunted in response, still flipping... "Ah!"

There it was.

A single paragraph on page sixty-three, which described Envy– a slender, androgynous being with lovely features and long (oddly enough) _green_ hair. A being whose hate-filled violet eyes had reptilian slants in their middles...

The eyes that haunted William.

"Marjorie." He croaked, to which the woman turned to him.

"W-what?"

"Something really...strange...is going on here."

And as soon as the words had left his mouth, the phone rang.

- - - - - - - -

Deep inside the golden void of The Gate, a certain homunculus stood, suspended, in a sea of light; confused out of his mind.

What had that _been?_ How could he have seen that part of his life re-enacted in such a way? Edward had not been there to comfort him when Hohenheim had rejected him, nor had envy even acquired his "adorable", green-haired form yet.

No, make that **black**-haired.

Raven hair and bright blue eyes, instead of green and purple. Green and violet were the colors he had seen on that boy in Amestris all those hundreds of years ago. The boy whose looks he had copied and taken as his own. Envy never would have thought to replace those colors with anything else, nor could he have done it if he _had _thought of it.

Still, it hadn't detracted from his looks any...as if anything ever _could_...

Shaking his head, he frowned. No matter how his body looked now, the question at hand was much more important to him: How had it talked and moved on it's own?

And why had it been called "Angel" by that Elric brat?

He had been inside and outside that body twice...but was it really even his?

- - - - - - - -

Mechanically, William lifted the phone from it's cradle and held it to his ear. "H-Hello?"

"Elric?" A man's voice crackled on the other end. A familiar voice...

"Dr. Hohenheim!" William cried, causing Marjorie to gasp behind him. "Dr. Hohenheim, where are y–"

"I heard that the laboratory burnt down."

Will paused. "Y-yes, Sir; and Angel...he's escaped."

Silence. Then, "He's after me, no doubt. He has an awful temper on him."

"Sir, he's out on the streets right now. Is there any way to stop him from–?"

The doctor laughed sadly. "Elric, you know as well as I do that he has no flaws. His regeneration and restoration powers make him utterly indestructible. ...Even if you somehow blew him to bits, he would reassemble himself within seconds."

William felt sick. So then...it _was_ hopeless. "Doctor, where are you?"

"I can't tell you my exact location." he replied, "I am still in Denmark, however."

"But not in Copenhagen."

Hohenheim's voice was low. "No. As soon as I heard that the laboratory had been set on fire, I fled. It doesn't take a genius to figure out what– or should I say, _who_– was responsible for it. I also know that he's most likely after revenge."

After a moment's hesitation, the doctor asked, "Elric?"

"Yeah?"

"Was what I said...what I did to Angel...wrong?"

Will had never been a liar. "It could have...been handled in a better way, Sir. I'm sorry."

"I see. And don't be; I understand." A soft chuckle. "And now my mistake will cost me my life...not to mention the lives of those innocent people Angel may decide to kill. It was only his obedience to me that kept him from hurting humans, you know. He has considered the human race beneath him since the day he awoke in our world."

"Maybe, if we work together, Sir, we can find some way to prevent tha–" Will pleaded, but was cut off.

"No." The doctor sighed. "You're too optimistic, Elric. Just like I used to be."

And then Hohenheim ended the call.

"Hello? Doctor? Doctor?!" William frantically yelled into the receiver, but to no avail. Cursing, he hung up.

Marjorie was wringing her hands together, "W-What happened, Mr. Elric? What did he say?"

"Oh, nothing." He replied, face flushed red with fury. "Just that there's no hope and that we all might as well lay back and wait for Angel to kill us!"

She whimpered, jade eyes filling with tears. "How could he? How could he say those things?"

"Because he's given up hope. The idiot..." he added testily.

Then, half pacing, half staggering around the room, William began to rant. "So now, we have three problems. One: that psycho Angel is after the doctor. Two: we don't know where either he or the doctor _is_. And Three: that some character my great-grandfather created over fifty years ago looks and sounds exactly like Angel, despite the fact that Granddad died before human cloning could even be properly performed!"

Marjorie whimpered again. "Wh-what should we do, Mr. Elric?"

"I'll tell you what we're going to do!" With a snarl, he whipped his jacket from the coat-hanger. "We're going to go track that idiot doctor and his homicidal creation down before they end up killing us all!"

- - - - - - - - -

A sigh, barely audible, escaped the lips of the man on the bar stool. To his left sat a bottle of whiskey; to his right a phone. He said something in Danish, and the bartender took the phone away.

Taking a long swig of whiskey, Dr. Hohenheim listlessly turned his eyes to the television screen above the bartender's head. It was an ancient thing, probably from 1995 or so, and the images of baseball it portrayed were of extremely poor quality.

"So, Elric..." He sighed again, "What's your plan now?"

Out of the corner of his eye, he watched as a young woman, dressed in a long black overcoat, gave him a sardonic grin, before dialing a number on her cell phone and exiting the pub.

"...Goodness knows that _**I**_ need one."

- - - - - - - -

The streets of the small town were dark and devoid of activity. Only one light, a digital clock on the side of a bank, advertized that it was one-twenty-three in the morning.

A young woman in a long black coat stood near said clock, gritting her teeth in irritation. "Yes, Madam; I'm sure it's him. Yes, he's inside the pub. I don't know! It's in Danish! ...No, he was on the phone with somebody called 'Elric'. Hung up when he saw me watching."

Then, she smirked, "Oh, you finally found him? What are you going to do? ...Fine. Got it."

With a 'click', the conversation ended.

Glancing to and fro in order to make sure no one had seen, she slipped into a silver sports car and sped off down the street.

The clock flickered. One-twenty-five.

- - - - - - - - -

Also roaming the streets was a certain..._inhuman_ being... A being whose eyes blazed with hatred and whose mind was focused on only one thing:

Revenge.

The fire in the laboratory had been amazing. Angel hadn't expected the building to ignite that easily, but it had.

As had the people within it.

He could still see them running; could hear them screaming and cursing and crying... Such weak, pathetic, worthless things, were these humans. When he got burnt, he recovered in an instant. When their flesh got seared, it turned red and black...and it stayed that way.

Disgusting.

Perhaps that was the method he would use to kill Hohenheim...watch the flash burn off of that doctor's traitorous face; listen to his screams of agony...

_Beep! __**Beep!**_

Jerking, he whirled around to see a small silver car slowing down behind him, it's high-beams pointed on him as if they were spotlights.

"Hey!" Someone called. A woman. "Are you Angel?"

How did she know? "None of your business!" he hissed.

She laughed. "Well, if you are Angel, I know where your 'father' is."

Angel's eyes widened.

"Perhaps you'd like to see him?" The woman's voice was oozing with contempt. "To 'chat' with him?"

From the implications in her words, he guessed that the contempt wasn't meant for him. "So, what if I do?"

"My mistress knows where he is. If you let me take you to her, I'm sure she'll tell you."

All of his instincts told him not to trust her, but his lust for vengeance was too strong within him– it clouded his mind and overrode his instincts. He circled around to the door she held open for him and, as soon as he was inside, she gunned the engine.

"You." He asked, his lips curled into a sneer. "What's your name?"

"Lyra." She answered coolly, amethyst eyes glinting like cut glass. "That's all you need to know. My mistress will tell you the rest."

Angel looked her over. He had seen women before; knew what they were supposed to look like...what they _did _look like. Several of the scientists that had worked with Hohenheim had been women, but none of them had the same eyes as this girl had. Nor had their skin been as pale as hers...their hair so straight and black. There was something about her that Angel didn't have much confidence in.

He would need to be careful around her. More so with her mistress. "And what's _her_ name?"

"_**Her**_ name?" Lyra chuckled, "Well...she calls herself 'Dante'."

- - - - - - - -

_**A/N**__: Sorry for the late update...again. I'll try to type up my chapters quicker from now on. To excuse myself this time, however, I'll blame my late update on allergies and daycare children. _

_Lord willing, Chapter 7 should be up soon. Stay tuned!) _


	7. The Bargain

_**In A Crumbling World**_

(by Faith E. W., a.k.a. '_The Maine Coon Cat_')

Chapter 7: THE BARGAIN

Dante's home was a very large, very _expensive_-looking estate far outside the city of Copenhagen. A forest stretched on behind it, and several ancient trees littered the yard.

"Here we are." Lyra held the mansion door open for Angel, the smirk never leaving her face. "She's upstairs. Second room to the right."

"You're not coming?" He queried.

She chuckled, "I only come when I am called for."

Shrugging, he left her and made his way up the grand staircase. He honestly didn't care whether she came or not; nor was he nervous about meeting her 'mistress'. In face, if said mistress was just wasting his time, he would make sure she never wasted anyone else's...ever again.

When he reached the second story of the house, he saw a long, ornate hallway before him. There were many doors, but only one door was open...

The one to the second room on the right. Glowering, he stepped in front of it, and found himself staring into a beautiful recreation room. It's walls were sky blue, the floor sugar white, and plush furniture was scattered here and there throughout the place.

And, in one such piece of furniture, sat the only other being in the room besides himself.

"Dante?"

The woman never turned around or stood up, but merely waved her hand in a 'come' motion.

He obeyed.

"Ah, you must be Angel." She said softly, in a voice far more pleasant than Lyra's. "Hohenheim certainly did create a lovely being...but you look nothing like his son."

At the mention of Hohenheim's son, the humanoid gave her a beastly glare, which she met calmly with a glare of her own. "Who is it that fosters such rage within you? The doctor, or his son?"

"Both of them!" he snarled, "I hate them both!"

"Why?" she pressed. Before he could answer, however, she smiled, "Don't bother. I'll tell you why myself. You hate the doctor for caring about you only because he thought you were his son– not for who you are; and you hate his son for being what you are not."

Angel stood, mute and visibly trembling. The lump in his throat prevented him from saying anything in reply to her, but he continued to glare.

Dante smirked, tilting her head to the side; her dark, wavy hair slightly obscuring her beautiful face. Without warning, she stood up and crossed the space between them, touching Angel's cheek with a delicate hand. "Hmm. No...you don't look a thing like his son. What a fool he was. Still," she added almost playfully, "You are exquisite... Lovely."

Having never been fingered in this way before, the humanoid stiffened. He was unwilling to upset her, due to her apparent knowledge about Hohenheim's whereabouts; and yet he wanted desperately to swat her hand away. It reminded him too much of his creator's hand, when it had connected violently with his cheek. The pain had been brief, but enough so that it had been seared into his memory. "And you?" he croaked, "How do you know Hohenheim?"

She pulled away abruptly, as if she hadn't expected that question, but quickly hid her surprise. "Let's just say that he has a sort of...'reputation'...for abandoning people."

Relieved that the woman was now out of his personal space, he looked her in the eye, "So, what do you want with me?"

"We both despise him, don't we?" she replied, "And I have a proposition for you."

"I'm listening."

Her eyes narrowed, "I am not like the doctor. I will not bait you with love or the promise of it–I have none to give. What I want is for you to work for me, as my servant. I have...plans for this world, and I need your help in carrying them out.'

"In return," Her lips curled up into a monstrous grin, "I, your master, will deliver Hohenheim into your hands, so that you may kill him...in whatever way you wish."

These were the words that set Angel's heart to pounding. Even if he had been wary of her before, it made no difference now. The strange woman had appealed to his single, driving force: _Bloodlust_.

"What do you say, Angel my dear?"

A monstrous grin curled his lips as well. "I'd say, you have yourself a deal...Master."

- - - - - - - -

"Mr. Elric, look out!"

_Honk-__hooonk_

A motorist barely escaped being hit by William Elric's Buick LeSabre, and cursed at said Buick in Danish.

"Same to you!" William yelled back.

"Mr. Elric–" Marjorie pleaded, "Please slow down!"

The young blonde glowered, slowing to eighty-two miles per hour, as opposed to the eighty-three he _had_ been going.

"That's not wh-what I meant!" she whined, clutching the dashboard lest she bump her head on the car's roof...again."

"Look, you told me where the doctor's home is. If we don't get there soon, we may not find him alive." Will snapped.

Even in the darkness, he saw the red-head's face go stark white.

"That, or he may have fled the country by now." He tacked on guiltily, "He has the money to do it."

She relaxed a bit.

The dark blue LeSabre Will was currently abusing had been sent to him– by boat– from America. A gift from his family and friends. He had to admit, it was much easier to drive than European cars, in which everything was totally opposite from what he'd grown up with (save for those first twelve years in Japan). Speeding through side streets and dodging traffic, the scientist silently thanked Heaven for his car now– he wouldn't have gotten this far in a foreign model.

"I'm surprised he lives in a mansion." Will muttered. "You'd think someone on a secret project for the government would want to keep a low rep."

Marjorie tittered nervously, "Y-yeah."

The LeSabre passed Copenhagen's borders. "And he lives pretty far away from the lab too..."

She fidgeted, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye.

After traveling over several seemingly deserted country roads, Marjorie finally pointed. "Up ahead. That big, white building."

William's mouth dropped open. Hohenheim's place was a huge estate, right on the edge of a forest. The mansion itself must have been worth a fortune, not to mention all the land around it. Turning to the woman beside him, he noticed that she had broken out in a sweat. "Marjorie? Are you okay?"

"Uh-huh." But her face told him otherwise. "The gate's open. Just park in front of the house."

He did. "Don't worry, Marjorie. I'm sure the doctor will be fine."

"I'm sure." she echoed.

Will frowned, getting out of the car. "You coming?"

"Yeah..." she followed him up to the mansion's doors.

"Should we knock...or–?" He asked, to which she merely placed her hands on the large oak door and pushed it open. "Wha–?"

"...You first."

- - - - - - - - -

"He's here, Madame. Right on time." Lyra's voice startled Angel, and he whirled around to see her smirking in Dante's doorway.

The older woman mirrored Lyra's smirk. "Is Marjorie with him?"

"Yes."

"All according to plan, then." Dante looked at Angel serenely. "Angel, we have guests. It would be rude not to show them in."

A savage grin crossed the humanoid's face. "Of course, Master."

"Very good."

- - - - - - - - -

William whistled, surveying the enormous entryway. "The doctor must have spent his whole retirement fund on this place."

The red-haired woman was shivering.

"Don't worry, Marjorie." he said softly, "The house looks fine. I'm sure the doctor's okay–"

"He is for now."

William and Marjorie jumped at the new, yet not new, voice. A peculiar, throaty, _feminine_ voice... Turning, they saw none other than Angel, who was standing at the front of a grand staircase.

"But not for much longer." The creature added, a reptilian sneer on his face.

"Angel–" Will stepped forward, but Angel was one step ahead. In a split second, the humanoid had run up behind Marjorie, and there stood, holding a knife to her throat.

Angel smirked, "I wouldn't if I were you, Elric. Your little girlfriend here just might get hurt because of your stupidity."

"I'm married!" Marjorie cried. "Mr. Elric, don't do anything he says!"

"Quiet, you!" The humanoid growled, then smiled maliciously at William, "Now–"

"Where's Hohenheim?!" Will demanded, "What have you done with him?!"

Angel's face darkened into a homicidal glower. "Nothing, yet. I don't know where he is."

"Liar!"

"I'm not lying, though I don't expect you to believe me."

"Where is he?!"

The creature sighed irritably. "I told you, I don't know. Besides–" his voice grew saccharine sweet, "–there's someone else who wants to see you."

At this, William faltered. Someone else...? "Who? What are you talking about, Angel?!"

"Go find out for yourself. She's upstairs."

"You really think I'd go up there?" He snapped, "For all I know, this is some kind of sick trap!"

"Well," Angel grinned, pressing the knife hard against Marjorie's jugular, "It's not like you _really_ have a choice."

Marjorie whimpered.

"C'mon, Elric!" The humanoid jeered, "You'd actually let her die just because _you_ don't want to walk up a few stairs? I doubt that."

"I–" William grimaced, looking desperately at Marjorie, then at the staircase. "Who's up there...?" He finally whispered.

A smirk pulled Angel's lips. "My master, of course."

His...master...? But, apart from Hohenheim, Angel had no master. The creature had certainly never been willing to obey anyone but the doctor before. Still...as Will watched Angel's hand press the knife menacingly to the red-head's throat, he realized that he honestly _didn't_ have a choice. "Fine, but you had better let her go."

"Oh, don't worry." He laughed, a pleased gleam in his sapphire eyes, "She'll be fine–better than you think, in fact."

Unsure of what to make of that last comment, William slowly made his way up the stairs. Glancing back once he reached the top, he saw that Marjorie had indeed been released, unharmed.

She stared up at him with tears streaming down her pale cheeks, "B-be careful, Mr. Elric."

He nodded, then turned away.

- - - - - - - - - -

As soon as William's back was turned. Marjorie began to sob.

Angel put his hands on his hips, giving her a sardonic grin. "Well, well, well; my master told me all about you..."

The woman sank to her knees.

"...Her little puppet."

- - - - - - - - -

_**A/N**__: Sorry again for the late update. Stay tuned for Chapter 8, which– Lord willing– should be on it's way soon.) _


	8. The Woman Scorned

_**In A Crumbling World**_

(By Faith E. W., a.k.a. "_The Maine Coon Cat_")

Chapter 8: THE WOMAN SCORNED

At the top of the stairs, William was met by a young woman with short black hair and amethyst eyes. "Ah, William Elric. We've been expecting you." she crooned.

His hackles rose, "Who's 'we'? What's this all about?!"

She only smirked, "You'll see."

Then, turning on her heels, she began to walk down the corridor, "Right this way."

Reluctantly, he followed her.

She led him into a large, lovely blue room with plush furniture and a pure white carpet. In spite of himself and of the circumstances, he felt guilty about the dirty footprints he was leaving on it. "Uh–"

In the middle of the room stood a beautiful, wavy-haired woman who appeared to be in her early thirties. Her skin was almost as white as the carpet, and her dark eyes had a keen glint to them that William immediately picked up on. "Welcome, Mr. Elric." she cooed.

"Who are you? What do you want with me?!" he cried.

"Those aren't easy questions to answer, you know." she said, "My name, at the moment, is 'Dante'. As for what I want with you– you won't believe me."

His lip curled, "Try me."

"Very well." Sinister amusement glittered in her eyes, "Surprisingly– for you, anyway– it begins with your great-grandfather. A Mr. Edward Elric?"

Willaim's golden eyes widened in shock.

"As you've probably been told, your great-grandfather was considered an eccentric. While people loved his stories about his life and adventures in Amestris, they felt that he was a madman for believing that such events really took place. Correct?"

A pang of guilt made his heart throb. "Yes."

She continued, "But I was one of the few who believed in his writings. Not at first, of course, but eventually, after much study. Above all else, I became interested in the Philosopher's Stone, and it's ability to let certain humans gain immortality from it. Two humans, to be precise, named Dante and–"

"Hohenheim." he whispered.

Now her smirk became a serpentine grin. "Ah, I see you're catching on. Do you know, William, how old your precious doctor friend is?"

"Forty...or forty-five, at the most."

"Well, you'd be right if you had guessed 'forty-five'...oh, back in 1938."

"Y-You're lying!"

"I told you, didn't I? I knew you wouldn't believe me."

Will trembled with suppressed rage. If what she was saying was true, then Hohenheim was well over a hundred years old. One-hundred and twenty-three, to be exact. There was no way... "And you? You look about thirty-three."

"Why, thank you. Thirty-five, in 1938."

"And how is that possible?" he seethed.

She laughed, "I did my homework, William, as did the doctor. In those times, we were quite close...a couple, in fact. We studied about The Gate. About how it was opened on our side. And we studied about the Philosopher's Stone."

"And then?"

"Sadly, Earth does not have the same make-up as your great-grandfather's planet. Oh, yes, it has air, water, and all the basic essentials, but it lacks the– shall we say– 'magical' alchemic energy that Amestris has. Still, we knew how the Philosopher's Stone was created, and what an alchemic circle was. Unfortunately, no matter how many lives we sacrificed to make the stone, it would all be for nothing if The Gate didn't open. For that, we needed to sacrifice someone who had actually had physical ties with Amestris."

He knew then. He had been told once, by Edward...only as an explanation about an old scrapbook. "No! Not you– it wasn't you...!"

She chuckled, "Edward and Alphonse Elric would have been too risky to kill. Edward was still churning out books on alchemy and Alphonse knew too much as well. Fortunately, we found a way to bypass that dilemma."

"_No!_"

"You see, Alphonse had been married for several years by 1938, and he had a child..."

The girl who only appeared in the family pictures for a quarter of the scrapbook, then disappeared... "You monster!!"

"A little girl; I forget her name. One day, when Alphonse was away with his brother and his wife was alone with their daughter, Hohenheim and I showed up on the doorstep."

William gritted his teeth.

"His wife couldn't do much...you know how strong the doctor is. Soon we had her child. The other souls were friends...relatives of ours...and anyone we could kidnap off the streets."

So... no one was spared...not even family. "I hate you..."

"We took hundreds...kept them in buildings that Hohenheim owned...kept them barely alive." Dante giggled, "You could say we thought of the Concentration Camps before the Nazis did. And since we weren't going to create an actual stone– only a watered-down version of it; the small number of sacrifices was alright."

"So," she went on, "We drew out a transmutation circle, and sacrificed Alphonse's daughter, along with everyone else, to The Gate. The Gate opened, and what we got..."

The woman smiled serenely, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a small vial, half-full of bright red liquid. "Was this."

William shook. "Wh-what is that?"

"A watered-down, liquified version of the Philosopher's Stone. Because Earth does not have the alchemic make-up of Amestris, it was the best we could get. Still, it prolongs life, as well as it prevents age. Hohenheim and I don't look a day older than we did the moment we took our first sip."

He reeled, " Why...why are you telling me all this? What do you want me and Marjorie for?"

She laughed. "Well, the elixir doesn't last forever. You feel it wearing out every couple decades or so. When it goes out of your system, you die. That what Hohenheim did to our son."

"...What?"

"Oh, yes. Our son was born back in the late 1940s. When he turned eighteen, we gave him some of the elixir. Sadly, the doctor withheld it from him last year, thinking he would be alright. He died."

William was shocked at how unemotional she sounded about the death of her own son. It was as though she were talking about what she had eaten for dinner last night. "So...it wasn't a drug overdose?"

Another supercilious laugh. "Is _that_ what he told you? Hah! No. No, only a lack of what he needed– and my husband's stupidity– caused him to die." Dante paused, "And soon, I will die as well, since my share of the elixir is almost gone. This last dose wasn't enough..."

Now he was beginning to understand...the twisted motive beneath it all... "So, you need to make more."

"Precisely."

"And you need someone with a physical connection to Amestris to do that. That's where I come in, right? You need to sacrifice me?"

"Correct again, Mr. Elric. My, aren't you perceptive. Just like your great-grandfather, I see."

"But why Marjorie and Hohenheim? And Angel– why is _he_ here?!"

She tilted her head playfully. "Why, I need Hohenheim's share of the elixir if I'm going to keep myself alive until The Gate is opened, and Angel is...let's just say that he's got his own 'special purpose', and leave it at that."

"And Marjorie? She's got nothing to do with this!"

At that, Dante looked past him to the doorway, a mocking grin on her face. "She doesn't?"

Turning, he saw that Angel, Lyra, and Marjorie were standing just inside the door. Angel and Lyra held onto Marjorie and appeared to be sharing in their master's glee, while Marjorie shook with sobs. "Mr. Elric, I–" she began.

"Don't worry, Marjorie." He reassured her softly, "It'll be okay..."

"–I'm so sorry!" she finished.

His face went pale.

Dante's grin grew wider. "Marjorie, tell Mr. Elric how old you are."

"Thirty-one." She sniffled. Then, cringing, she added, "Physically."

"And_ really_?"

"Seventy-four..."

William fell to his knees.

"You see, Boy?" Dante taunted in a near-whisper. "She needs the elixir too, as does her beloved mate; and look who she's willing to sacrifice for it?"

"...Marjorie..." He murmured, to which the redhead grimaced and covered her eyes. "How...how could you? I trusted...I trusted you."

"You can't trust anyone in this world, my dear." Dante folded her arms across her chest, a keen look in her eyes. Ironically, she reminded Will of a psychologist with that knowing expression on her face. "Everyone lies, everyone betrays–"

William noticed a darkness come over Angel at that.

"–and everyone has selfish motives. Even people who seem so innocent and kind."

"Forgive me!" Marjorie pleaded, "Mr. Elric! Please forgive me!"

"Stop your whining!" Angel snapped. It was obvious that his new master's words had hit a nerve.

Then, without warning, the humanoid turned to William. "See how it feels, Elric? To be betrayed by someone you trusted? Hurts, doesn't it?!"

He swallowed hard, feeling sick to his stomach. This was all too sudden...too sinister. Too much to bear. If only, if only he had believed his great-grandfather before, perhaps he would have seen this coming. "Yeah. It hurts."

To his surprise, Angel didn't gloat or grin, or even look vaguely smug. Instead, the creature merely gave him a long, serious look, a look which shook Will to the core.

A human look, full of pain.

Just as quickly as it came, however, Angel forced it away with a shrug and a hollow laugh. "Serves you right."

"Well," Dante gave Angel a look, "Now that you know how important you are to us, I'm sure you can understand why you can't be allowed to leave–"

_**No!**_

The word shot though his mind like a bullet, and had about the same affect as one. Disregarding all but his instinct, he leapt to his feet, using what remaining energy he had to bolt toward the door.

"What–?!" Lyra barely had time to grab for him before Marjorie knocked her down.

"Go, Mr. Elric!"

"Don't let him get away, you idiot!" The final voice was Dante's, full of rage; and a moment later, William heard the sound of hard, racing foot steps behind him.

Angel.


	9. The Memory

**In A Crumbling World**

CHAPTER 9: THE MEMORY

(By Faith Worster, a.k.a. _'The Maine Coon Cat'_)

Angel was at his heels.

William struggled to run, gasping all the while. Between the throbbing pain in his head and the lack of sleep he had endured, it was a wonder that he could move at all. Still, he was no match for the humanoid, who sprinted easily beside him and effortlessly matched his pace. A maniacal grin adorned its face, and its blue eyes sparkled. "Come on, Elric!" Angel taunted, "Is this really the best you can do?"

Those eyes...what joy Will had felt when he'd first looked into them...when they had opened for the first time... In the moment before the violet-eyed monster had appeared, William had felt such relief, wonder, and even affection for the newly awakened being. The same being who was now at his side; who desired to kill him and, presumably, the rest of mankind. "Why?!" He panted, "Why-when-I...when I only...wanted you to-live?"

The sparkling eyes widened. For a split second, Angel froze, and Will ran up ahead, down the stairs–

And then he fell back, Angel's slender hand around his wrist in a vicelike grip. "Agh!"

"Ah, I see you've gotten him already. Excellent work, Angel." Dante praised, clapping her hands mockingly.

But the creature wasn't listening. He seemed stunned, as if remembering something... something that disturbed him greatly.

"Now, Angel, take him up to the room I prepared."

The humanoid didn't respond.

Dante glared at him, seething with impatience, "Angel!" she snarled. When she still got no response, her voice rose, "Lyra!!"

"Yes, Ma'am?" The woman replied.

"Take Mr. Elric to his room!"

"Yes, Ma'am."

William had no energy left to fight, but it wasn't that so much as it was the expression on Angel's face. The creature's eyes were wide, his pretty mouth taught. As Lyra led William away, he turned his head back once, only to see Angel still staring at him...

Was it something he had said?

-----------

He...remembered...

"_Hey." _

_A handsome young face, framed by long, golden-blonde hair._

"_Hey, there!"_

_Bright, golden eyes gazing warmly at him through the glass._

_That__ presence, filling him– taking him over._

"_**Edward Elric?!**__" It roared, hatred oozing from its very core..._

_Darkness._

Amid his new master's loud, angry insults and that stupid redhead's bawling, Angel stood, silently recalling his first real glimpse of the world, and with it, a sense of...

The sense of...regret.

"Angel!" Dante yelled. "Did you hear a word I said?!"

Gritting his teeth, he snapped himself out of it. He hated Elric. Hated humans. There was nothing to regret. Nothing at all. "I'm sorry, Master."

She studied him coldly. "Good. Next time, you will obey me the moment the words leave my mouth. Is that clear?"

"...Yes, Master."

Satisfied, the woman turned away. "See that our little guest doesn't escape, Angel. He's on the bottom floor, in the locked room."

He nodded. "Yes.

She waved her hand. "Go, then."

Angel watched as Dante walked away.

_Nothing at all._

And yet...

An explanation for the memory...that was what he wanted. Elric could give him that much.

Smirking, he left as well, descending the staircase to the floor below.

-----------

William had seen better days.

His head hurt, his body ached, he felt sick, and now, to top it all off, he was about to be sacrificed to The Gate by some greedy, power-hungry old lady with a homicidal streak.

Fun. No, really. Lots of fun.

The worst part of this, however, and the part that was making him ill, could all be summed up with one name: Marjorie.

How could she? How could she– that bumbling, stuttering, panicky woman who couldn't hurt a fly (or maggots, it seemed) be in on this too? How could she have helped sacrifice Alphonse's beloved daughter, not to mention all those other people, in order to prolong her own life span?

She had been so kind to him. Stupid, yes. Annoying, yes. But she had seemed to care about him, almost like a sister would a brother. So then...how? How could she be such a monster...?

Just as he was about to sink into the depths of utter despair, William heard the door to his bedroom-slash-prison cell being opened.

No– the time for the sacrifice couldn't be now...could it?!

"_Elric!_" A familiar voice growled.

William glowered. Great. Just who he wanted to see. Not that he wanted to see anyone right about now. "What is it? You here to kill me or something?"

"I wish. ...Actually," The beautiful being sauntered over to the sofa across from Will's bed and sat. "I just wanted to talk."

There it was. That syrupy sweet tone that he hated. This time, though, William detected an almost shaky edge to it, as if Angel was unsure or upset. "About...?"

The humanoid's glare could have cut him, it was so sharp. "What did you mean earlier?" he snapped, "By what you said back there?"

He raised a brow. "Huh?"

"About wanted me to live!" _'You idiot!'_ he looked like he wanted to tack on.

"I did."

"Did _what_?"

Will leaned back on his bed. There was no reason to hide the truth from him now, was there? "Before you came along, all the other experiments had died before they woke up. I thought you were going to too, and– and I wanted you to live."

Angel went silent, lowering his eyes for the first time that William could recall. The creature had always been too proud to do such a thing before. "And when I woke up?"

"I was..." he chuckled, but it sounded more like a sob, "I was so happy. I thought you were...amazing."

At that, Angel gave the young man a wary glance. "So...then _you_ were the first person I saw...not– not that doctor."

Well, he wasn't calling Hohenheim "Father" anymore. "Yeah. And you– you called me 'Edward Elric'."

The humanoid seemed agitated by this.

"Your eyes turned violet then." Will added.

Angel started, looking up at him curiously. "They did?'

"Yeah. They did at the lab, too, when Hohenheim ditched yo–"

Angel's face abruptly darkened, "Alright!" he snapped. Then his eyes widened again. "Wait, you mean– you saw it?"

"Well...yeah. I was standing right there. Hohenheim–"

"Not that! My eyes! _HIM!!_"

"Him...who?" Great. Was Angel going to go nuts now, too? More so then he already was, anyway? Or...was he talking about...?

"The...the–" The creature seemed unable to express it. "There was...someone...something else...in me then. Wasn't there?"

He sucked in his breath. So, Angel even sensed it, but was it really...? "Does it have a name?"

"A name?" Angel gave him an indignant look, "What kind of question is that?"

"A reasonable one, if you knew what I know." The blonde shot back, to which Angel blurted:

"Know? Know _what_?!"

His last hope. "Get me out of here, and I'll tell you."

The humanoid scanned him, seeming to fight with itself inside. For a moment, it appeared that it would actually take him up on his offer...

But then, a serpentine smile curled its lips, and it leaned back coyly on the sofa, resuming the syrupy sweet tone from before. "As if. Do you think I'd really disobey the master when she's made me such a generous offer?"

William, in spite of his exhaustion, felt himself become more alert. "Offer? What kind of offer?"

"Like I'd tell you." Angel stood up and strutted to the door. "You're useless–"

"Envy."

Angel blinked, pausing. "What?"

"That's his name. 'Envy'."

The creature's already pale face lost all existing color. Slowly, it walked back into the room, eyeing William as if the young scientist had grown another head. "Are you sure about that?" he croaked.

"Positive."

Angel narrowed his eyes. "Then you know what's going on?"

William frowned, sighing, and placed his head in his hands. "I have to admit that I don't. This whole thing has been one giant nightmare for me...but I will say this: I have a good idea about what's happening."

"Which _is_...?"

"You and Hohenheim." Angel flinched at the name, "Dante and Lyra. And even me. We're all connected somehow, just as– I believe– Envy is connected with you."

The humanoid looked confused, but said nothing.

"Angel...you and Envy...I think you're one and the same."


	10. The Connection

**In A Crumbling World**

Chapter 10: THE CONNECTION

By Faith E. Worster, a.k.a. "_The Maine Coon Cat_"

"_WHAT?!_" Angel incredulous cry reverberated off of the thick maple walls.

William winced, the pain in his head intensifying slightly. Still, he went on, reaching into his pocket. "Look– I have proof." He retrieved the old drawing that Edward had made, and held it out for Angel to see.

Angel stood up, stalking over and leaning down to get a better view of it.

...Then, he made a face comically similar to Marjorie's expression upon first seeing one of Edward's drawings. "Is that supposed to be me?"

"No, it's _supposed _to be Envy."

The humanoid stared at him. "...You're a really poor artist, you know that?"

He almost laughed, but the situation was too dire. "I didn't draw this. It was done by my great-grandfather, back in 1953. The date's right here, along with the title and his name."

Angel snatched te paper from his hand and proceeded to read it, "So, who's Envy, then?"

"He was someone my great-grandad knew on the other side of The Gate."

Angel stiffened. "The same Gate the master talks about?"

"Dante? Yes. The same one."

"...How do you know all that?"

"Edward Elric– my great-grandfather– kept records and made stories about his life in Amestris, the world beyond The Gate's doors. Envy was an artificial human, called a 'homunculus', much like yourself. He was created by Edward's father, Hohenheim, around four-hundred years before Edward was born; to replace a son that had died previously."

The androgynous being paled further.

"Envy looked just like you, only he had green hair and violet eyes, along with the ability to shape-shift. Personality-wise, though–" William hesitated, studying Angel for a moment, "you appear to be less...how should I put this... 'hard-core' than he was. That could be because you haven't had as much time to develop as he did, however."

Angel obviously wanted a better explanation than that. " 'Hard-core' ?"

"You–you're hateful...but not quite as much so as he– I mean, Envy– was." A light went on inside William's brain then. How could he not have seen it before?

Envy had, in both instances, invaded Angel at a time of high stress. The first time had been when Angel was dying, and the second had been when he was abandoned by the only person who had ever meant something to him...in an eerily similar way to how Envy himself had been rejected.

It all made sense now!

Sort of...

Meanwhile, as William was going over all of this, Angel had furrowed his brow at Will's earlier remark: 'Hateful'. That snot-nosed pipsqueak had called him 'hateful'! As if Angel had no right to be! He _did_ have a right. He was a superior being whose own fath– who had been betrayed by an inferior _worm_. He had every right in the world to hate...!

Plus, he was irritated that said pipsqueak had been completely ignoring him for the last few minutes. "Hey, Earth to Elric! What about Envy?"

The blonde ('DUMB blonde', Angel sneered to himself) suddenly glanced at him, golden eyes shining. "You and Envy are connected, and I think I know how." He proceeded to explain his theory to the humanoid, who stood, hands on his hips, giving William a generally puzzled look.

"It's as if...history is trying to repeat itself, only it's screwing up." Will finished. "And Envy must still be alive in The Gate, even though he was sacrificed to it."

Angel, who had been sitting on the sofa, turned his head away from William, and remained silent for a while.

Sighing, Will leaned back against the wall. "And there's not much we can do, is there? After all, I'm going to be sacrificed and you're...well, who knows?"

The creatures face suddenly broke into a vicious grin. "_I_ know! I'm going to kill that _thing_ that betrayed me. Then I'll slaughter the rest of your pathetic race– one by one!"

William shuddered inside. He knew, perhaps more than anyone else, that Angel was very serious...and dead-set on his goal. Still... "How do you _know_ that's going to pan out?"

Angel halted in the midst of his psychotic laughter, narrowing his eyes. "_What?_"

"Well, with Envy inside you...controlling you sometimes...how do you know it's all going to go your way?"

"It has to!" Sounding oddly like a raging child, the humanoid stood up, fists clenched, voice hoarse, "It has to! I'm going to kill him myself– and _no one's _taking that away from me!"

"But–"

Without another word, Angel stormed out the door, slamming it violently behind him.

"– you really don't know that, do you?"

William was alone. Again.

- - - - - - - -

In the white-carpeted room, two figures stood, the older one regarding her servant with a conspiratorial smile. "Lyra, it's time."

Amethyst eyes lit up with delight. "Yes, Master. And then–"

"Yes, Lyra, I know. You'll be given your share."

"Thank you, Master."

Heavy doors crashed open against the walls, causing both women to jump.

"Angel?" Dante snapped. "What now?"

The creature glowered, his gaze roving from one to the other suspiciously. "What's going on?"

"None of you busine–" Lyra started, but Dante cut her off.

"Actually, it is his business, my dear. Angel _is_ Hohenheim's creation, after all."

Angel went livid at the name. "Hohenheim?! What about him?"

"We're sending out someone to fetch him for me, dear." Dante answered coyly, "And, ultimately, for you."

His eyes glittered. He had _known_ it! He had _told _Elric that he would kill the doctor– and so he would! "Send me! I'll go get him!"

"No. I can't risk it. Your hatred and rage are too strong. You might kill him before his due time."

The humanoid growled with frustration, yet said nothing more.

"Who are you sending, Master?" Lyra questioned curiously.

Dante smirked, pointing casually at a small, huddled figure that sat at the other end of the room. It's curly red hair bobbed as it shook. "Why, a trusted colleague of Dr. Hohenheim himself. We all know her..."

Lyra grinned cruelly. "Ah, yes, the little crybaby."

And Angel frowned. "Marjorie?"

- - - - - - - - -

The red-headed woman was bent low, her arms crossed tightly in an almost child-like way. Her glasses, which had been bent slightly after her last ride with an overly-zealous William, now practically hung off of her face. She made no move to correct them, however. In her despair, she hadn't even noticed.

"Monster..." She whispered to herself.

She was an evil monster.

How could she betray him like that? That poor, brilliant young man who had only the best of intentions for everyone around him? How...?

For over seventy years she had lived...breathed...walked the earth...yet she still hadn't learned. She was still so selfish. So vile.

But it wasn't just for herself that she was doing this! Marjorie thought. After all, her husband needed the elixir as well.

Not that he wanted it.

John, he beloved John did not want the eternal life he had been given. "Never again, Marjorie." He had snarled, his handsome face twisting in remorse, "Never again will I kill someone just so I can live..."

_I would.___

Marjorie wept at the thought, struggling to see the road ahead of her. She was driving now. Driving Will's car...

She would have to kill William.

That was why she had never allowed herself to speak his name...why she had always addressed him as 'Mr. Elric'. It was her way of distancing herself from him; from the fact that he was a loveable human being who had no right to be slaughtered for her sick purposes...

"No..." The word escaped her lips in a whisper, barely audible.

_**No.**_

She couldn't do this to him. She couldn't kill William! Not for herself!

Not even for John.

Taking a deep, determined breath, Marjorie slowed, stopped the car...and turned back toward Dante's mansion.

She had a new mission.

"I have to save Mr. Elri..."

_No..._

"I have to save Will."

- - - - - - - - -

Angel was displeased.

The humanoid paced back and forth angrily, eyes flashing. Just the thought of his former 'Father' being allowed to live any longer was enough to make him explode.

Impatiently, he stalked over to the window, growling as he gazed out at the cloudy, mid-afternoon sky. He'd kill him... He'd show that blonde pipsqueak... Nothing would stop hi–

WHAT?!

Disbelief quickly gave way to rage as he stared down at the lawn below him, where a certain red-haired woman was walking through Dante's yard. He craned his neck left, then right, trying to see if Hohenheim was with her...but the doctor was nowhere in sight.

Three thoughts crossed Angel's mind at that moment.

One: She had come back.

Two: She had not brought the doctor with her.

And the third thought was lost in a white-hot blaze of hatred, which carried him away from the window and down the stairs.

Marjorie Hunt was as good as dead.

- - - - - - - - -

_A/N__: Well, this is going to be my last update for a little while, as I have to go back to college tomorrow. I have the rest of the story written, though, so don't despair! When I get spare time, I'll be typing this up! God bless, and see you soon!)_


	11. The Selfless Ones

"_**In A Crumbling World"**_

By "The Maine Coon Cat", a.k.a. Faith E. W.

Chapter 11: The Selfless Ones

The fans hummed softly overhead. Meant to cool the small room, they instead merely spread the foul stench of smoke and alcohol through the sweltering air.

On a bar stool, half-drunk, sat a rugged-looking blonde man, his face haggard with grief. The last few hours had been spent wandering from bar to bar and drinking as much as possible. Only the fact that he had vomited up most of the booze earlier that morning kept him from being totally drunk out of his mind.

"Phone call for a...Hoen...heim?" The bartender called out in stilted English. "Is there a Hoen-heim...here?"

His head snapped up. "Elric?" He motioned to the man, who gratefully handed him the phone.

"Hello, Magnus. It's been a long time."

The doctor's blood ran cold. "Dahlia...?"

"Please. It's 'Dante' now. Just as you named yourself after your hero, I named myself after mine."

His mouth was dry, despite the glass of cheap wine he'd just barely gulped down. "How did you find me here?" he rasped.

Dante laughed heartily, "I knew that if I called every pub in the area, eventually I'd stumble upon you. Still drowning your sorrows with liquor, my dear? Old habits die hard, I suppose."

Hoenheim's (or rather _Magnus_') blood boiled. "Have you nothing better to do than call every bar in Denmark, for the sole purpose of tormenting me?"

"Not really." She drawled. "Besides, I have something which I think you'd be interested to hear about. _Two_ somethings, in fact."

"...I'm waiting."

"Well, during one of her nightly drives, a friend of mine happened to stumble upon a certain 'acquaintance' of yours...went by the name, 'Angel', I think."

His eyes widened, "You have Angel?!"

"He is currently my willing and trusted servant, and he told me that he desperately wishes to see his father again. Just one more time, you know."

He knew. "You can tell him that I have no intention of–"

She cut him off. "Ah-ah-ahhh. You're forgetting. I said I had _two_ somethings. There's another surprise waiting here for you."

Magnus remained silent.

"A certain young scientist. Blonde hair, golden eyes, very handsome. A feisty child, if I do say so myself."

"Elric!" The doctor leapt off the stool, much to the other patrons' shock. "Dahlia, what have you done to him?!"

Her voice oozed with repressed malice. "Nothing...yet. But I can't guarantee that I'll be so nice to him for long..."

"What do you want from me?!"

"Only what is owed me."

"I owe you nothing!"

"You owe me _everything!!_" All at once, her cool facade dissolved into a shrill fit of rage. "_It was you-YOU- who took my son away!!_"

He could not reply to that.

The other bar patrons watched the doctor in awe, wondering what all that English dialogue was about. One man jokingly whispered to his friend in Danish, "You think his girlfriend dumped him?"

To which the friend replied, "Nah, I think his wife just called him from her lover's house."

The two of them laughed uproariously.

Hohenheim ignored them as best he could. "I ask you again, then: What is it that you want from me?"

"You." Dante was clearly over her outburst, and the cool facade prevailed once more. "And the rest of your elixir."

"You mean to kill me."

Her voice became wheedling... "I see. So, you're willing to let William Elric die, just to save yourself. Sounds like another certain situation, doesn't it?"

"Dahlia–" he warned. When she didn't reply, he sighed, "You're going to use him for the sacrifice, aren't you?"

"You are quite perceptive."

"Then why should I bother to come? When you're only going to kill him anyway?"

She sniggered. "I have more than just Elric here, you know. Another little friend of yours."

His heart thudded in his ribcage, "Who?"

"Marjorie." Dante's voice grew thick with menace, "She doesn't have to die, Magnus– but you decide on that."

'Click.'

Hohenheim stood, trembling, with the phone in his hand, its dial tone resounding in his ears. Finally, he hung it up.

He was as good as dead if he went to her mansion. If his vengeful ex-lover didn't kill him first, his own creation would... On the other hand...if he didn't go, could he live with the guilt of letting the two closest people to him die?

"I...can't..." he murmured, "I...can't...do that again."

The two men who had laughed earlier watched as the tall, bearded man slowly and haltingly made his way out of the pub, the door swinging shut behind him.

"Hey," One of them remarked in Danish, "he forgot to pay his tab."

-- -- --

"WHERE IS HOHENHEIM?!"

Marjorie barely had time to register Angel's enraged bellow before he threw her head-first into the manicured grass.

_John...I need you– where are you now?_

With another hoarse cry, he sent her sprawling, rolling. Her glasses shattered under the impact of his foot colliding with her face. "Aghk!!"

_I'm so sorry, John...so sorry..._

He grabbed her by the hair, hauling her up, "Where is he?!" he shrieked.

_But I had to come back here...because it's my fault..._

She shuddered; whimpered, but did not answer.

_My fault that William will die..._

Angel was livid, delivering another blow to her ribs with his knee. The air gushed out of her, and she dropped like a sack of rocks to the ground.

Realizing that she was not going to give him any information, the humanoid merely stayed there, standing over her, mad with fury.

The doctor was still out there..._**alive**_.

It was more than he could take.

"I'll kill him..." He seethed, glaring down at the woman's unmoving body, "I'll kill him..."

Then, with a grin, he placed his heel on her chin, "But you go first."

_I'm so sorry, Will..._

He thrust her head back with his heel, leaving her bare neck exposed. With superhuman strength, he then slammed the sole of his foot down just under her jaw.

_I tried..._

'CRUNCH.'

-- -- --

William Elric waited.

He waited for Dante or one of her "servants" to come for him. He waited for Angel's satisfied smirk as he was led away. He waited to see The Gate open up to swallow him whole...

In short, he waited for his death.

The room which Dante had "generously" provided was a good-sized one, and the poor young scientist had paced it off and on for many an hour (in spite of his recent injuries) before collapsing on the bed in exhaustion.

And so he lay. Head pounding, body aching, heart hurting. Miserable and lonely.

Perhaps this was how Angel felt, when Dr. Hohenheim had betrayed him. If so, Will could understand the humanoid's anger and quest for revenge...as well as Envy's.

A sudden rap on the bedroom door made him bolt upright. Had the time come? "Y-yes?"

The door opened, revealing Lyra. She eyed him coldly, and with a disinterested air waved her hand for him to follow her. "Get up." She said, "Someone's here to see you."

He obediently followed her, "Who?"

She ignored him, continuing to walk in silence. Finally, she stopped at the end of the hallway, where it led to the huge main entryway. Stepping aside, a grin of wicked mirth on her face, she revealed his mystery visitor.

Standing across the room, an agonized look on his face was–

"Doctor Hohenheim?!" William cried.

The doctor appeared to be on the verge of tears- more so when he saw the state his younger friend was in. "Elric?" he whispered mournfully, "Elric, what have they done to you?"

"Doctor– "

"Hohenheim." Dante appeared on the grand staircase, cutting William off.

"Let him go!!" The man cried.

She chuckled. "I'm afraid that's not possible, as well you know."

"I brought the elixir, Dante! At least give him a while longer to live!"

"So you can 'find some way to save him'? Hardly. We all know how good you are at saving people."

"Dante-!"

'_SLAM!_'

William looked, as did the others, to the front door, which now hung open on its recently broken hinges. There, silhouetted by the darkened afternoon sky, stood Angel, his mouth agape.

Dr. Hohenheim's mouth opened as well, but quickly closed again. His eyes dulled. "Angel."

Shock gave way to disbelief; then Angel's face contorted into a terrible mask of fury. With an enormous leap, he crossed the floor, fist raised, and aimed a powerful blow at the doctor's head.

"_HOHENHEIM!!_"

-- -- --


	12. The Second Betrayal

**Chapter 12: The Second Betrayal**

(By Faith E. Worster, a.k.a. _The Maine Coon Cat_)

"_HOHENHEIM!_"

The doctor didn't even try to dodge Angel's attack.

"Urcgk!" His creation's fist hit him square in the jaw and sent him flying. A moment later, Angel was atop him, aiming another vicious punch at his face.

"_I'LL KILL YOU!_"

"Angel! _Enough!_"

Dante's voice seemed to cut through the humanoid like a sword and he froze, fist still hovering over his "father's" mouth.

Softly, coldly, she added, "Your promised time will come, Angel. For now, he is to live."

Shaking with rage, Angel slowly stood, and it seemed to Hohenheim that– for a moment– the creature's eyes had turned a rich shade of violet...

2-2-2-2-2

...Hohenheim.

This could not just be a lookalike...this was HIM.

He was still _alive_.

NO! He had killed him! Killed him! Felt his teeth crush through his body; tasted the metallic blood as it coated his tongue...

_He had killed him!!_

And yet, here he was. Jaw swollen, eyes glazed with pain, staring up at him with that same infernally weary, submissive expression he had worn on the day Envy had taken him into his mouth.

"How can you still be alive?!" he shrieked. Then, in agony, "_HOW?!_"

"Envy!"

Time stopped.

...Edward...?

2-2-2-2-2

William Elric froze, watching the furious– and perhaps, frightened?– being as it turned toward him. Everything went still...silent.

Then...

"_EDWARD ELRIC!_" It roared, "_YOU'RE_ behind this!"

Great. Envy still thought he was Edward.

The homunculus rushed at him, fists raised, "You saved him!"

"No!" Will cried. _What do I do? _

"You resurrected him!" Mad with fury and confusion, Envy continued to approach as William backed away.

Desperately, he too held up his hands, closing his eyes against the blow that was sure to come, "Please! I'm not Edward!"

The blow never came.

Barely opening his eyes, William saw Envy's fist. The homunculus had halted just before his knuckles had collided with William's nose.

Then, the fist lowered, and he was met by two wild violet eyes and a pallid face. "...What?"

"I'm not Edward." He repeated.

Envy glared at him sharply, still frantic. "Then who are you?" he croaked.

"I'm his great-grandson, William. Edward is...he's dead."

"Dead?" He echoed. An odd, almost pleased look came over his face.

"Yes. H-he was a hundred and four."

Envy twitched, any pleasure he had possessed quickly seeping away. Evidently, he hadn't wanted the 'pipsqueak' to enjoy such a long life.

"And that's not Hohenheim. Not the one you killed."

"My name is Magnus!" The doctor uttered, trying to stand.

Envy's expression (the 'smoking fish') would have been comical, had not the situation been so frightening. The creature opened his mouth to say something–

– And then doubled over, hands balling up tightly.

William leapt back as the being let out an almost bestial groan, then fell to its knees. "Envy?"

It panted, then lifted its head. Its eyes were blue.

"Angel..."

The humanoid grimaced, apparently exhausted. "It...happened again."

William nodded, then looked up at Dante and Lyra, both of which appeared unfazed by what had just taken place.

Hohenheim...Magnus...had slowly, painfully lifted himself up off of the floor, his face rapidly going black and blue. Eyes wide, he regarded his creation as one would regard a demon.

"What have I done?" he whispered, and tears filled his eyes, "What have I done to you...?"

Angel shot him a murderous glare.

"Well," Dante smirked, "Now that your touching reunion is over, perhaps we should begin to settle other matters, hm?"

When her former lover didn't respond, she continued, "The elixir, Hohenheim. Now."

"Where's Marjorie?"

At this, Dante herself looked surprised. "What?"

"Marjorie. I see Elric, but not her. I came for them both."

William felt a lump grow in his throat. _The doctor had put his own life at risk to save him..._

"I came of my own accord, Dante. Now where is she?"

Then woman turned to Lyra, who shrugged; then to Angel, who darkly met her eyes.

"I killed her." He said.

2-2-2-2-2

All the blood rushed from William's head.

Killed...

_No...Marjorie._

She had betrayed him but...he had never wanted her to die.

"Excuse me?" Dante snapped.

Angel actually appeared uncomfortable, irritably shifting his gaze. "She betrayed us for Elric...so I killed her."

"For Elric? What do you mean?" Her voice was going dangerously low.

"She came back to free him." The humanoid lifted its head defiantly, though there was still a trace of apprehension in his eyes. "I caught her skulking around the bushes, looking to break into his room. I stopped her. Broke her neck."

"Broke her..." William clutched his throat in horror. _She had come back to free him...and she had died for it. _"How could you?!" he screamed at the creature, who glanced at him in surprise.

"What are you so angry about?" Angel scowled. "She betrayed you– you shouldn't care what happened to her."

"I never wanted her to die– even after what she did! Not once!"

Genuine bewilderment clouded Angel's expression.

Before he could reply, however, another voice broke the silence.

"_You killed her?!_"

Dante.

Angel flinched, but glared back at her proudly, "She didn't follow orders–"

"I never ordered _you_ to kill her!" Dante then hissed like a viper, "She was BAIT."

For once, the humanoid seemed unable to make a move, or come up with a sarcastic jibe. In fact, William almost felt sorry for Angel, the creature looked so lost.

Almost.

"Get out of my sight." Dante growled. "Now."

But he lingered. "Hohenheim..."

"_NOW!!_"

With a snarl, he reluctantly stalked away. William could see his fists tremble. As soon as he was gone, Dante whirled to face her ex-lover. "Lyra, show are guests to the 'special room'."

William saw the woman smirk; knew what it meant.

The time had come.

With a cry, he launched himself at Dante. He had to fight– had to do something. They were only two women now, after all, against two men.

Dante met his eyes coolly, and a moment later, he felt a searing pain in his right shoulder.

_'BANG!'_

"_WILLIAM!_" Hohemheim yelled.

He fell to the floor, clutching at the wound.

The bullet wound.

Smiling, Dante lowered the gun. "I thought you might try a trick like that. You're so much like your great-grandfather. It makes me sick."

He merely groaned. He had never known such pain could exist. It felt as if his entire shoulder had been blown off. Perhaps it had...

"Don't worry, dear boy. You'll be out of your misery soon enough."

Hohenheim was still yelling. "William! William, can you hear me?!"

"Lyra, take them away."

2-2-2-2-2

_(Sorry for the long wait. Summer semester chewed up a lot of my time. I'll try to get another chapter or two done before Fall semester begins. Thanks for your continuing support!)_


	13. The Gate

**In A Crumbling World**

(By Faith E. Worster, a.k.a. "_The Maine Coon Cat_")

Chapter 13: THE GATE

The next thing William knew, he was seeing red.

So much red. Glowing red light that seemed to come from nowhere and made his head swim. Red, like the blood that was gushing out of his shoulder at an alarming speed...

Turning slightly, he saw Dante tipping her head back, a tincture of the elixir at her lips. She sucked it down, then raised her head with a satisfied grin. Before her, Hohenheim sat tied to a metal pipe, grimacing in agony for reasons William couldn't ascertain.

Turning his head again, he saw the ceiling, which was glowing with a strange white design...he had seen it before...long ago...

A transmutation circle.

"Master Dante..." Lyra's voice was trembling, but he couldn't see where she was. "I thought you said that I was to have some of the elixir as well. I've done everything you asked! I-I want what's owed me!"

Dante looked at where William assumed Lyra was, reaching into her sash. "You want what's owed you?"

Something small was in her hand, but it wasn't a bottle of elixir.

It was the gun that had shot William.

"Master!" Lyra screamed.

"...Fine."

There was a bang, then a dull thud, and William knew that Lyra was dead.

Hohenheim gasped.

Dante glanced at him with a serpentine smile. "How is that pipe, my dear? Hot enough for you?"

Boiling water...that must have been what was in the pipe...the pipe would be unbearably hot...no wonder the doctor was in agony...

He had to get up. Dante hadn't killed him yet, so he still had a chance.

Problem was, he could barely move.

Groaning, he rolled onto his left shoulder, trying to ignore the blinding pain that threatened to wipe out his consciousness. Just a little more...and he might be able to get...up...

"Going somewhere?"

Gazing blearily upward, he saw that Dante was standing over him, her eyes a demonic crimson.

_It's just a reflection from the red lights...nothing to be afraid of..._

"William!" came the doctor's weak cry, "Get up! Save yourself!"

"I don't think so." Dante gloated. "You're barely alive, much less in any condition to outrun me."

"William!"

Her head turned, and the scarlet glow in her eyes grew brighter. William watched as she softly padded over to the doctor, placing a hand tenderly on his cheek. "Magnus..." She whispered, "Magnus, you don't have to die. I need you."

The doctor winced.

She cupped his face in her hands, kneeling down before him. For the first time, William noticed that she appeared frightened...desperate.

"We've done this before...we can do it again." She continued, "Our son is gone. Gone...but...we can make another. Please, Magnus." her voice was pleading, "Stay with me. Say you will. You love me."

"No." The doctor's voice was as hard as stone. "I don't believe that I ...ever loved you. And I will not help you to destroy others...never again."

Dante's eyes were wide. William was sitting up now, and could see the color drain from her face.

She really did look old.

"You– you're serious?" She asked, trembling. And then, as she stared into her lover's hardened eyes, she began to laugh. High, rhythmless, echoing howls that reverberated off the walls. Clutching her sides, she stumbled backwards, throwing her head back and laughing, laughing, laughing...

_Psychotic... _

Unbeknownst to her, William had grabbed on to a metal ledge and hoisted himself up. He was dizzy...nauseated; but he had to get out of this place.

To the side of him lay Lyra. She was not dead, as he had thought, but twitching, gasping, eyes wide and panicked.

He felt no pity.

Tottering past her, he groped at the walls, inching towards the door. He was so close–

_Can't stop. Have to get out...I have to–_

"I WON'T LET YOU!!"

The roar was followed by a bright burst of white light, and William did stop. Or rather, he _was_ stopped. Stopped by an electrifying charge of energy that sent his clothes, his hair, and everything around him that wasn't sealed down billowing up. Whirling around, he saw Dante on her knees, her palms pressed to the floor– to another transmutation circle. One that matched the circles on the ceiling and the walls. Above the noise of the energy and the flapping of his clothes, William suddenly heard another noise...high and piercing.

Screams.

_Below him. There were people screaming below him._

Sacrifices.

_He should have known._

William clutched his shoulder with a gasp, jolted by a sharp stab of pain– and then drew his hand back in wonder. "How–?"

His shoulder had healed.

"But...but that doesn't make any sense..." he murmured.

Glancing past Dante, he saw the reason for his miraculous healing. Hohenheim– Magnus– also stood, still tied to the pipe, but with his palms pressed tightly onto the transmutation circle on the wall behind him. He was staring at William, his hazel eyes glazed over with anguish. Horrified, William realized that the doctor's shoulder was being eaten away by the white light.

"NO!"

"_NO!!_" The second cry was not his own.

Jerking around, William yelped. Angel stood in the doorway, his face a mask of rage. Before William could react, the humanoid had shot past him, aiming something bright and metallic at the doctor's chest. "I'M THE ONE WHO DOES IT!"

"Don't–!" Dante cried.

But Angel knew– must have known– that the woman could not move after triggering this transmutation, and passed by her without hesitation. "I'M THE ONE WHO'S GOING TO KILL YOU!!"

Hohenhiem closed his eyes and nodded.

Angel lifted the blade, voice high with excitement. "NO ONE ELSE–"

William rushed at him. "Angel, stop!"

"_ME!!_"

_THUNK._

He grabbed the humanoid just as the blade sunk into the doctor's chest. "DOCTOR!!"

There was a thunder, and the whole room seemed to sway and buckle around them. William pulled Angel back as the ceiling gave way, disappearing into an ornately carved door, which opened, revealing a gaping black hole.

"YES!" Dante stood, crowing with delight. "YES! Give me what I want– _WHAT I DESERVE!_"

Long, thick black ropes dropped from the hole around her. To Will's horror, he saw tiny, grasping hands on the ends of them. They writhed around Dante, snaking about her body.

"What?!" She gasped. Lyra screamed behind her, ensnared in them as well. "What is thi–"

The ropes– arms– spasmed, twitched, pulled...rising up into the hole...carrying the women up with them. Terrified, William felt something coil around his own feet.

He was caught.

"Angel!" he yelled, feeling the arms wrap around his legs. "Angel, you're strong– pull us out!"

Angel remained motionless, transfixed by the doctor's lifeless eyes.

With a slithering sound, they were both dragged across the floor and lifted into the air. The last thing William saw were thousands upon thousands of glowing violet eyes which, even though they were not set within a face, appeared to be grinning hungrily at him...

"_NO!_"

_SLAM._

Darkness.

--


	14. The Truth

**In A Crumbling World**

(By Faith E. Worster, a.k.a. "_The Maine Coon Cat_")

Chapter 14: THE TRUTH

William gasped for breath, feeling Angel's slender form go slack in his arms. "Angel? Are you okay?"

The creature gave him no response, except to extract himself from Will's hold and hang his head.

Realizing that he was on his own, William looked around him, and was shocked to see...nothing. There was nothing but streaming golden light and a violent wind that seemed to come from nowhere and go nowhere. "Wh-What is this place?" he whispered.

Dante and Lyra were not there...and no sign of the hungry violet eyes could be seen. While he was frightened, it relieved him to know that those black, twitching arms no longer held him in there grasp.

In front of him, Angel had begun to tremble.

Despite his anger at the humanoid– his downright fury at having lost two of his dearest friends to it– William could not bring himself to hate Angel. After all, this being had no real soul; no reason to have morals or concern for others. On top of that, he had been abandoned shortly after his creation by the person he cared about the most. The person he had just killed...

Hohenheim.

William shuddered, but laid a hand softly on the humanoid's shoulder. "Angel...?"

It was then that he noticed something. Something which made his blood run cold. Angel's rich black hair had turned...green.

_No._

_It couldn't be... _

Slowly, the creature turned its head to look as him, and William's worst fears were confirmed. Bright violet eyes with reptilian pupils glared malevolently at him beneath hooded brows.

_Envy._

_-- _

The homuculus regarded him coldly, the violet eyes quickly skimming over his body.

"After all the years I've spent in this hell-hole," He snarled at last, "it's _his_ face that I have to see."

William knew what he meant, and understood his feelings. The hated younger brother had finally found a way to reach beyond the grave and torment the one being who had hated him so. "I'm sorry." he said sincerely.

"Do you want to know...why I let that bastard live so long...after I had him?" Envy muttered.

He stared at him expectantly, but the homunculus would not return his gaze. He could only assume Envy meant Hohenheim, as he had killed Edward right away the first chance he got. Yes, he had always wondered why Envy hadn't immediately bitten Hohenheim in two when– as a dragon– he had held the man in his jaws.

"Because," Envy continued as if it didn't matter whether William had wanted to know or not. "He couldn't run away then...he couldn't _leave_ then, so I thought...!" His violet eyes widened and, gritting his teeth, he began to tremble, "If I held him there long enough– if I made it so he couldn't run away– that he'd at least–!"

Envy's voice rose sharply, and his throat spasmed, "At least apologize! Say he was sorry! For all that he put me through–!"

Stunned, William watched Envy shut his eyes tightly against tears. For a moment, the creature could not talk, but appeared to be fighting to stay in control.

_How many centuries_, Will wondered, _has it been since Envy last cried?_

"But no." Having gotten his voice back, Envy went on, but William noticed that the hate-filled eyes still had traces of moisture in them. "_NO!_ He apologizes to that pipsqueak! TO _**HIM!!**_ To him, for creating _**ME!**_ All I wanted– all I wanted– but he just let me kill him– just let me kill him– and he never spoke to me again!!"

He took several deep, shaking breaths, his whole body trembling violently. Then, he turned to William with a blazing expression of hatred on his face. William could almost touch the aura of loathing and shame that surrounded the creature. Envy must have hated himself as much as he hated William then, for losing his control in front of the young man who was the image of his former rival. Growling, he advanced toward William, fists clenched tightly at his sides. "I killed him; I should kill you too!!" he shrieked.

There was only one thing William could do.

--

"We should try to get out of here."

Envy jumped at the sound of the pipsqueak's voice, fiery resentment instantly scorching his already blackened heart. He had just threatened the boy– was that idiot deaf? "...Didn't you hear..._anything _I said?"

The young man's head was bowed, his golden eyes dull. "I heard everything you said, Envy." he whispered. "That's why I won't leave this place without you."

Envy felt himself go numb. For a second, he stared at William in shock. Then, his face contorted in rage, "WHAT? What are you trying to pull?!"

William merely turned his back to him, surveying their surroundings. "My great-grandfather got out of here– twice. And you got out once too, right?"

Envy twitched, unable to fathom the boy's completely astonishing obliviousness. "I said," he growled again, but with a notable edge of confusion in his voice, "I'm going to kill you."

"I know." William replied.

The homunculus bristled at his unconcerned tone, "You think I'm kidding?! Do you?!"

"No. I know you'll kill me."

Envy's chest was heaving, and his eyes were wild. "Then why–"

"Because I'm not Hohenheim."

He froze.

"And I'm not Edward." William glanced back at Envy, a small, sad smile on his lips. "I'm William, and I won't abandon you."

--

The change that came over Envy was shocking. The creature's already pale face went chalk white, and an almost...vulnerable look came over him.

Then his eyes flickered...to blue.

"Elric...?" Angel croaked.

William sucked in his breath. "Angel! Are you– you're still–!"

The sapphire eyes flickered back to amethyst, the pupils slanting once more.

William flew forward, grabbing Envy's shoulders, "Angel? Angel?! I'll get you out– I'll get you out too!!"

"Let go of me!" Envy roughly threw the young scientist off of him. Yet William noted that the homunculus' expression was one more of fright than of hatred. "And just how do you think you're going to get _all_ of us out of here?"

Equivalent exchange...the Truth Behind Truths...William looked down at his hands. They seemed so much more precious to him now...but he knew what he had to do. He had heard enough of Edward's teachings to know. _I'm sorry, Grandad..._

Closing his eyes, he spread out his arms.

_For not believing you..._

He didn't know quite how to do this, but the idea was worth a try. "Gate! Listen to me! This is what I want!"

_Grandad, I was wrong...but _you_ were wrong too..._

"I want Envy...and Angel...to be free from this place– to go where they belong. And in exchange for them, I will give–"

_For hating this creature._

"Myself."

He heard Envy sharply suck in a breath, right before an enormous roar shook the entire golden atmosphere. William had a vague tingling feeling in his left arm. _Heart attack? _He wondered. Then it began in his right leg, and he understood. He was paying the price...with his own body.

Turning, he saw Envy gaping at him with wide, terrified eyes. Where was Angel? He had to get them _both_...!

Suddenly, something like a black hole opened up beneath them. William could feel its pull– it seemed it would rip him to shreds, the force was so strong; yet he was not sucked inside.

Instead, Envy appeared to be the hole's target. The homunculus' body looked as if it were being dragged...then, curiously, split. Envy was pulled down, while another Envy stood, staring at William in shock...

"Angel?!" William cried.

With a final, momentous yank, Envy went down, disappearing from sight as the golden light closed in over the hole. For a moment, all was still...

And then the hole re-opened; this time, for them.

Wind whipped around William, and he could see drops of his own blood as they were sucked past him into the vortex. He held out his remained arm and closed his eyes.

Blackness overtook him.

----


	15. The Changing Point

**In A Crumbling World**

(By Faith E. Worster, a.k.a. "_The Maine Coon Cat_")

Chapter 15: THE CHANGING POINT

Rain.

Angel felt hard, driving rain beat at his back and his head, and his front seemed to be wet as well. Opening his eyes, he realized that he had landed on his stomach. Slowly, painfully, he got onto his hands and knees, replaying those unforgettable words in his mind...

"_Because I'm not Hohenheim...and I'm not Edward. I'm William, and I won't abandon you."_

"_And in exchange for them, I will give...myself."_

Elric had saved him...sacrificed...

"Elric!" The name burst out of his mouth, and he swivelled his head to and fro in a panic, trying to locate the boy.

Then, he sucked in his breath.

Blood.

Eyes wide, he stared at the pool of rich, scarlet blood that was steadily seeping through the gravel. In the center of this gruesome pool lay William Elric, his skin grey, his lips blue. His left arm and right leg were indeed gone, and the stumps were still bleeding profusely.

Angel's own blood ran cold. "_Elric!_"

Shaking, he stood and stumbled to the young man's side, placing his hand over William's heart.

It was still beating. Barely.

Angel knew enough about humans to know that if he weren't taken to a hospital soon, he would certainly die.

_I don't care! I don't care what happens to him! Even if he did..._

Unwillingly, he looked down at the red stumps that were all that remained of William's arm and leg. The human hadn't left him in The Gate...had even sacrificed of himself to rescue him...because he cared for Angel...and he didn't want to leave him behind...

For the first time, Angel felt the sting of tears as they filled his eyes. For the first time, he didn't want a human to die.

Elric had been right. He was soft. Softer than Envy, at any rate.

Envy...

He had been one with the creature; had felt its burning hatred that far surpassed his own. A deep, cruel hatred bordering on madness, which had taken what might once have been an innocent creature and twisted it into a monster.

But he had sensed something else as well, just before he and Envy were separated once more...when William had sacrificed of himself to save them both... It was as if a small, hidden place inside of Envy had opened up. A place of clarity, in which, for one moment, the homunculus had seen Elric beyond the veil of his hatred. As something more than a beast to be slaughtered.

It was only for a moment, though.

With a grimace, Angel turned back to the task at hand. How was he going to save Elric? He couldn't just march into the hospital as he was. After all, he wasn't exactly normal in appearance. If only...if only he could look like someone else...someone inconspicuous, like that red-head woman he had killed...

To his shock, there was a great flash of blue light, and a tingling sensation went throughout his entire body. He closed his eyes tightly against it, and when he re-opened them, he did not believe what he saw.

Long, fiery-red curls.

He lifted his hand to his face...it was pale, ungloved, and even more feminine than his own.

"My–" he gasped in horror. There was another flash, and his hand was his own again.

_He was a shape-shifter._

Envy was a shape-shifter...

And now, so was he.

There was one more flash, and then the body of the late Marjorie Hunt walked though William Elric's blood and lifted the dying scientist into her arms.

--

William awoke to pain so intense he thought he might vomit. Considering the recent events, this feeling was not surprising to him.

What was surprising was that he had woken up at all.

"You're awake."

That voice...it was so familiar...

Marjorie!

Tears stung his eyes as he caught sight of her long red hair, her bright green eyes..."M– you– Mar..."

Marjorie shook her head. "Sorry, Elric." A rueful smile. "It's just me."

There was a dazzling flash of blue light, and there stood before him...

"Angel..." The tears spilled over.

"Not exactly who you were hoping for, hm?" Angel's voice was oddly subdued...distant; and there was an utterly different expression on his face than any William had ever seen...as if all the fight had gone out of him.

"Hap...py...happy you're...alive..."

Angel's eyes widened, and he stared a moment at Will in what appeared to be shock. Then, he hung his head. "I don't know why."

"Where...where are w..."

"A hospital in Amestris."

William's heart skipped a beat. A wave of terror swept over him, and he though he would faint.

He was in Edward's world.

"I heard," Angel went on quietly, his voice more gravelly than ever, "that there's something called 'automail' here. It's better than the prosthetics the other world offered."

The 'other world'...his home.

His family...his parents, brother and sister...he'd never see them again. Tears coursed steadily down his cheeks now, and sobs shook him. The loss of his arm and leg he could take, but the loss of his family? That was too much.

Angel watched him cry, misunderstanding his tears. "If you didn't want to lose your limbs, why did you offer them up?" Some of the old fire had reentered the humanoid's voice, and the tell-tale glare seeped back into its eyes.

But William shook his head, gasping, "Not that...my family...I meant for us to go...back to Earth."

And, just as quickly, the fire and glare were gone; replaced by a grimace of contrition. "Oh..."

"I don't...regret saving you...if that's what you think."

"Then why? Why did you save me?" His blue eyes gleamed wildly, "I threatened you, I killed your friends, I hurt you– I'm not even human! So _WHY?!_"

"Because...I care about you." Will leaned back onto his pillow with a sigh, "I just care about you. I don't know why exactly, but...I do."

Again, that vulnerable expression. "How do you not know _why_ you care about someone?" he snapped angrily.

William shrugged, chuckling sadly. "Humans are funny that way, I guess."

Angel placed his hands on his hips with a 'hmph'. "I guess _so._"

For a while, neither spoke.

And then, it was Will who broke the silence. "So...what now? Where do we go?" He put his remaining hand to his face, in order to quell the tears. "I only know the Amestris my great-grandfather told me about– and the last time he saw it was almost a hundred years ago. Who knows what's changed."

When Angel didn't reply, William went on, "Of course, there's still alchemy, because you're able to transform..." his voice caught as he remembered the haunting image of Marjorie's face. "So, once I get my automail, I'll have to learn..."

A snigger escaped his lips as he glanced down at the places where his lost limbs should have been. "Man, I'm almost _him_ now. Kind of ironic...guess it's my punishment for not believing him."

"Punishment?" Again, a touch of fire crept back into Angel's tone, "So saving me was _punishment_?"

"No." He smirked. "Boy, I'm going to have a hard time with you, aren't I?'

He glared fiercely, "_What?_"

"You still don't trust me, do you?"

A second passed, in which Angel seemed to realize that he had– for the third time in a matter of fifteen minutes– gravely misjudged his rescuer's intentions. "...Hn."

"Sorry."

"What are you apologizing for?"

William leaned back until all he could see was the stark white ceiling above him. "You were created to be innocent...but we humans...we corrupted you almost the moment you woke up. Just goes to show you how vile our race can be, huh?"

"Yes." Angel's eyes were bright and shining, like cut glass. Then they clouded...softened. "You really don't regret it? Saving me?"

"I really don't regret it."

The humanoid studied him long and hard. At last, with a shake of his head, he proclaimed, "I'll never understand you."

"That's okay. I don't always understand myself."

"Is that another 'funny' thing about being human?"

"Heh. Probably."

"...I don't hate you, you know." Angel suddenly blurted.

William stared at him, stunned. The words didn't make sense; didn't seem real. At least, not coming from Angel, they didn't. "What?"

The humanoid's face was reddening, and it had clenched its fists at its sides. "I don't hate you, alright?!"

He wanted to ask him why not. He wanted him to say the words one more time, because when he said it, William felt that everything he had sacrificed had been worth it...

He _wanted_ to, but the drugs that had been pumped into his system were finally taking their effect, and he felt himself slowly slipping away.

For the first time in days, William slept peacefully.

--

_(Note: Only one more chapter to go!)_


	16. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

_Faith E. Worster_

Amestris was everything Edward had said it was. It had changed over the past few decades, of course. High-rise buildings and glowing neon signs had replaced the stern brick dwellings of the capitol city, and alchemy was balanced out with modern technology such as existed on Earth.

Earth. William destination, if he could make it happen. After all, Edward had gone back and forth between worlds at one time; why not he?

And so William had been fitted with prosthetics at 'Rockbell's Automail', a large practice in the city. It was painful, and tough getting used to, but after three months he could now move around with them quite well. Still, he sorely missed being able to sense touch, texture, or temperature, as he had with his organic limbs.

He had not seen Angel since he had fallen asleep at the hospital that night. The humanoid had just left and never returned.

William sighed softly, slipping his hand into the deep, warm pocket of his trench coat. It was late spring in this world, and the weather could still be a bit chilly. He was, to his immense irritation, hungry, and he needed to eat before he even thought about hitching another ride. His latest lead would have to wait.

He stopped.

Eyes... He could feel eyes on him...watching him. His pulse quickened, his palms growing moist. Turning slowly, he saw the culprit: a man around his age, possibly a bit older; skinny, and obviously of Hispanic descent. He was clad in a gothic outfit, complete with knee-high, steel-toed boots, and stared at the young scientist with intense black eyes. A grin of satisfaction lit his gaunt features upon seeing Will's reaction, and he motioned with a jerk of his head for the boy to come to him.

Will's breath caught in his throat. This could be some sort of trap– curiosity killed the cat, after all. But when the man made the motion again, William obeyed.

"What do you want?" He asked the stranger. The man only chuckled, his deep, ragged voice grating upon William's already frazzled nerves.

"Haven't seen _you_ in a while, Elric. Oh, come on! Don't you know who I am? I'll give you a hint:" In a small burst of alchemic light, the man's tan hand transformed into a gloved white one.

"Angel!" William gasped.

"So, you DO remember me." The hand transformed back into that of the Hispanic's. "What do you think of him?"

"He's a little malnourished, if you ask me." Will shrugged, "And he looks like he hasn't slept in days."

"I wouldn't be talking..." The humanoid murmured, just loudly enough for William to hear. Then, he lifted the hand to his face, languidly observing the contractions of its muscles as he clenched and unclenched the fingers. "I only maimed him, you know."

William sighed, grimly aware of what Angel knew he knew.

"I didn't kill him, although it would have been too easy. Called me a 'fag'." A smirk tugged at his lips. "I still don't know what that means..."

"It means you're gay."

A quizzical look, "What?"

Will shrugged again. He didn't know what Angel's sexual orientation was, or if he had one at all. And he wasn't about to ask. "Nothing. He was– is– a jerk." He fixed the creature with a piercing stare, "You _did_ let him live, right?"

"I said I did!" Angel huffed.

"Sorry. Just wanted to be sure."

"...So...what about you?" The humanoid's voice had become quiet, and his eyes bore into William's.

William frowned, "What about me?"

Angel leaned back, a surly expression on his face. It seemed forced, however, as did the sardonic laugh that followed. "You look terrible!"

"Hn. Thanks."

"So, what's been going on? Hm? You can tell me." The tone and expression were teasing now, but there was something in the whole act that made Will realize that the being was genuinely interested.

He relented, plucking a piece of paper from his coat and holding it out in front of Angel's face. "I'm looking for a way back to Earth."

Angel's brows shot up as he glanced from the paper to William's determined frown. With a coy smile, he stood up. "Let's go for a walk."

--

"You're looking for a way back to Earth, huh?" The humanoid intoned.

William glowered. He had quickly discovered that the only reason Angel had wanted to go for a walk was so that he could transform back into his preferred (and, for him, _original_) body. "I've been asking around about famous alchemists. So far, there's only one that I'll actually be able to contact."

"Who's that?"

"Doctor Aaron Spencer. The head of alchemic research at Damaris University in Lior."

"Huh." Angel quirked a brow. "Another doctor?"

William didn't understand the question at first, but then it dawned on him. "Well, I'm certain he won't be Hohenheim."

Angel jolted, his face paling.

"Do you regret killing him?"

"No." The voice was firm.

"...What about Marjorie?"

Angel's eyes sought his almost pleadingly. Then they hardened, and he turned away. "Why this, so suddenly?"

"Can you please just answer?"

A measured pause. "For your sake, I..." he shrugged uncomfortably, "I... Hey! Why are you smiling?!"

William sighed in relief. Angel may still be cruel, but he was not yet heartless. Not yet Envy.

Perhaps he never would be.

"I was wondering if you'd like to join me."

Angel's brows crinkled together, "What?"

"I'd like it if...if you would come with me."

"To _where?_"

"Anywhere." William knew how crazy it must have sounded. Knew that it was his unbearable loneliness that had clouded his mind enough to make him even think of traveling with someone as dangerous as Angel...

But he did not care. "Anywhere I have to go."

The humanoid's eyes were the size of saucers, its whole body tense. William at once saw a great internal conflict going on inside Angel's already battered heart.

Then, Angel smirked. Said smirk grew wider and wider, until it turned into a full-fledged grin and Angel threw back his head, fairly shrieking with laughter. "Come w-_with you_?" He sniggered, "Heh, that's _rich_! What are you, _proposing_ to me or something?"

His heart sank, "No, I just–"

"Look." Angel had stopped laughing and was now staring at him with utmost gravity, "I get what you're doing, okay. Don't think...don't think I don't–" His cheeks reddened, and he swatted the air with his hand in irritation. "But I've had enough of following humans around. I'm doing my own thing now."

Even though he could feel bitter disappointment wrapping its tentacles around his heart, he forced a smile and nodded. "Okay. I was only asking."

"Yeah. So, I guess you're off now?"

"I have a train to catch at one o' clock."

"Guess I'll see you around, then..."

The two brings regarded each other for a long moment, before Angel abruptly turned on his heel and walked away.

Saddened to the point where he could not even speak, William went to turn away as well.

"– I still don't hate you, you know!" Angel called.

When he looked back, the creature was gone.

"_I still don't hate you..."_

Will chuckled. It wasn't 'I like you'...

But it was a start.

Into the empty alleyway, he whispered, "If I ever do find a way back, Angel, I promise I'll take you with me."

The bakery was just around the corner. If he hurried, he could get something to eat before his train left.

"See you around."

--

Beyond a labyrinth of streaming golden light, in a world not quite different, but not quite the same, another being stood, surveying the place that had become his home.

It wasn't Amestris, but it wasn't The Gate, either.

It would do.

Without warning, quick footsteps approached him, and before he could react, something collided with his torso. "Ah!"

A little girl.

Envy gritted his teeth as the child gazed up at him in shock. "Watch it!"

"I'm sorry, I– hukg!" The words were halted in the girl's throat as Envy lifted her up by her neck.

"_Because I'm not Hohenheim...and I'm not Edward. I'm William, and I won't abandon you."_

Envy's grip weakened ever so slightly.

"_And in exchange for them, I will give...myself."_

"...Tch!" Frustrated beyond all measure, he roughly threw her to ground and cursed. Why had THAT come to his mind at a time like this?!

The child rubbed her neck, wheezing and gasping, but alive.

"Beat it, kid." Envy growled, "Before I change my mind!"

Without another word, she complied, taking off down the road as fast as her short legs could carry her.

Hands on his hips, Envy watched the girl go.

He hated them. Hated _all_ humans, but...

"_I heard everything you said, Envy. That's why I won't leave this place without you."_

But the pipsqueaks' great-grandson...Hohenheim's accursed offspring...had risked his life to save him from The Gate. Who knew, maybe he had even died.

The homunculus lowered his eyes, staring at the ground.

Maybe he didn't have to kill all humans...

He smirked.

...Just the ones that really annoyed him.

Folding his hands behind his head, he turned on his heel and sauntered away. He could still hear the child's footsteps as they faded into the distance.

"See you around, kid..."

--

**END. **

_Thank you all for your reviews, support, and enthusiasm! As for a sequel...we'll see..._

_God bless!_


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